When Worlds Collide
by aushapasha
Summary: Bella's godfather brings her to New York to escape her heartbreak. What happens when the past comes back to haunt her? Can The Avengers save her, or has her fate always been sealed? Will she save herself? Non-canon. Bella Swan/Steve Rogers Other genres: Suspense, supernatural
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

Alex and Ausha got this idea from chatting after we had both seen Avengers: Endgame and how cute Captain America is. Alex posed the idea about whether Captain America could be changed into a vampire and things quickly went downhill … or uphill, from there.

With Alex's extensive Twilight knowledge and Ausha's obsession with all things Avenger's this crossover has been so much fun for both of them to write. Collaborations can be difficult, but these two friends have taken the challenge head-on and look forward to hearing your thoughts on this story. The writers simply ask that you read the tags, warnings, and the description fully before you start reading. Generally speaking, Alex writes for Bella and Ausha writes for Steve Rogers/Captain America.

The authors would like to thank Alice's White Rabbit, Pandora's Box Is Heavy, and DayDreamDreamer for all their hard work and hand-holding. MarieCarro made the gorgeous banner.

Updates will be every two weeks. We'll be starting with the original 7 chapters that were donated to BatB and then adding the new chapters after that. We are each posting to our own accounts as we do not have a joint author account.

**From Ausha:** I just want to thank Alex for trusting me with her idea and letting me run with it at times. Our team for being so supportive and to those of you that are coming over from the Babies at the Border compilation. We submitted the first 7 chapters to the fundraiser. Thank you for coming to read and please review!

ENJOY!

**Chapter 1**

**BPOV**

The bell above the door rings as someone walks into the store. I'm sitting at the checkout, trying not to fall asleep from boredom.

Mike walks up to the desk just as I'm trying to conceal a yawn.

He laughs. "Slow day, Bella?"

"Every day is a slow day," I quip.

He checks his watch, and then shrugs; he doesn't disagree. "You can go if you want. I'll cover the checkout."

I look at the time on the cash register. It reads 4:30 and think about it for a split second.

"Sure. Thanks!" I stand up from behind the desk and walk out into the back room to collect my bag. Mike is standing behind the checkout when I come back. I silently pray that he won't ask me out. Again.

"Hey, Bella." He runs a hand through his hair, and my heart pangs at the familiar motion but for different reasons. "You know if you're ever free …"

I cut him off. "Mike, we're friends, right?"

He sighs, and then nods. "This town is too small, isn't it?"

I smile. "Most definitely." I dig into my bag for the keys to my truck, and then hitch my bag up onto my shoulder. "See you in a few days."

I walk out of the store and do a small fist pump on the way out—maybe I've finally gotten through to him!

I look at myself in the rearview mirror and rub my eyes. The girl looking back at me hasn't smiled properly in a long time, and I wonder when that's going to change. I sigh, and then crank the truck into reverse.

xoxo

I pull into our street and notice an Audi on the side of the road that I haven't seen before. My heart skips a beat, but I try to ignore it. It isn't parked outside my house, so it must be someone visiting a neighbor.

I park my truck in the driveway and apply the parking brake. I grab the food I got from the diner and get out. I look back along the street as I'm walking up to the porch and gaze wistfully at the Audi.

I shake my head and turn back to the front door, putting my key in and unlocking the door.

"You know, you really ought to secure your house more thoroughly."

I scream and drop my drink, and it spills all over the floor. Ice cubes rattle all over the floorboards, and I can't help but think about having to clean that up later.

"Hi, kiddo."

I turn toward the voice with my hand on my chest as if that's going to slow down my racing heart. Once I focus on the visitor standing in my living room, the Audi outside makes sense.

"Uncle Tony?" I drop the bag of food on the floor and race toward him, throwing my arms around his neck, and start to cry.

He hugs me back tightly. "Oh, Bella. What happened to you?"

I cry even harder and try to talk through the sobbing. "It's so good to see you." I pull back and wipe the tears from my face.

Uncle Tony looks at me. "It looks like we have a lot to catch up on." He goes to sit back down on the couch, and I stay standing. "Bella?"

I wipe my eyes of tears again and go to sit down next to him. "Why are you here?"

"Charlie called." He hasn't ever been able to lie to me. "But, you know, I was planning on coming anyway. Since you've graduated and all that."

"Hmm."

"C' mon, Bella. You can just as easily pick up the phone."

"And what, leave a message with Pepper, or JARVIS?

He winces. "That isn't fair." He grins. "It's hard work, saving the world, you know." And then he winks at me.

I can't help but smile. "I am glad you're here. To be honest, I'm surprised Dad didn't call you sooner."

Tony has the decency to look sheepish. "Or did he call you sooner?" I gulp. "How much do you already know?"

"It doesn't matter because I want you to tell me."

I fall back against the sofa and take a deep breath. It doesn't matter how much he knows, and it doesn't matter how much I tell him because, for once in my life, I don't care that I'm about to admit I dated a vampire and that he completely and utterly broke me into pieces, and that I haven't been the same even though it's been almost two years. I sit up again, square my shoulders, and dive into the story.

xoxo

I talk for what feels like ages. I tell him everything. About Edward being a vampire, and that his whole family is as well. I tell him about Phoenix, and James, and my birthday … and then I get to the part about him taking me into the woods behind my house and telling me that he didn't want me anymore.

"_I don't want you to come." _

"_You don't want me?" _

"_No." _

The memory comes to me, and I shake away the feeling. I tell him about how I've been like a zombie since it happened; that I haven't done anything … I haven't wanted to do anything. I tell him why I'm still in Forks, and that the reason I haven't left— why I didn't go to college—is because I'm secretly wishing he'll come back. I wipe away tears that have fallen while I've been telling my story, and then let out a breath as I finish talking. "So, that's it." I look at Uncle Tony to see if I can tell what he's thinking about, but he looks impassive as always.

He looks at me and smiles. "Do you feel better now?"

I'm shocked by his first choice of words. I just told him I dated a vampire. I narrow my eyes at him. "You knew, didn't you?"

He tilts his head. "I believe when I called you at various points last year you told me that you had a boyfriend, and I might have happened to do a check on him to see what I could find." He shrugs. "There wasn't much, which made me curious … but then I found out he was connected to Carlisle Cullen, and I realized I'd met him before." I can't help but wince at the name being mentioned. "I knew there was something weird about him, but I didn't know they were vampires until you said the words."

"I shouldn't have told you. I shouldn't have even known in the first place." I wring my hands. "But I do feel better for getting it all off my chest. I just haven't been right, not … since it happened. I haven't been myself. I haven't been able to tell anybody." I decided it probably isn't the best time to bring up Jacob and the fact that I'm also friends with a werewolf.

"I could kill him." He growls.

I laugh. "You couldn't even if you wanted too. He's a vampire. Indestructible comes with that territory."

Headlights shine into the front window, interrupting our conversation. "Charlie's home." I look at him. "And he doesn't know any of this."

"Duh." He puts his arm around my shoulders, and I lean into him. "It's going to be okay, Bella." He kisses my head. "I promise."

The front door opens and Charlie walks in. "Bells!" he shouts. "I'm home!"

"I'm right here, Dad. There's no need to yell."

"Jeez!" He jumps, and it makes me snicker. "Why is there food on the floor, Bella?"

"Oh, I forgot about that. Dad, we have a visitor."

"Hi, Charlie." Uncle Tony stands up from the couch and heads toward my dad, and they hug the only way men seem too.

"Tony! What a surprise to see you."

I roll my eyes and walk past them to pick up the food I dropped on the floor earlier in my surprise. "You're a terrible liar, Dad. I know you called him." I go into the kitchen and dump the bag in the trash. I walk back out with the mop in my hand to clean up the drink I also spilled on the floor.

"A call that was long overdue," Tony says.

I don't reply as I mop up the spilled drink on the floor.

"Bells, what happened?"

"Oh, Uncle Tony made me jump as I was coming in so I dropped my drink all over the floor, and then my food …" My stomach chooses that moment to rumble rather loudly. I place my hand over my stomach as if to hold the noise in.

Charlie laughs. "Pizza?"

xoxo

Dad and Uncle Tony have been talking for hours since we've had dinner, and I've been sort of watching TV while listening to their conversation.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" I turn toward my dad.

"Can you turn that off for a second?"

I look at him quizzically but turn off the television and turn around to face them properly.

"Do you have plans, Bella?" Tony asks.

I frown. "Plans?"

He pauses for a second. "College?"

I look away and wring my hands.

"You gonna tell him, Bells?"

I stay silent, and Charlie sighs. "Bella applied to a few colleges during her senior year. Columbia was one of them, and they offered her a full-ride scholarship, and she turned it down." I look back at my dad, and he looks upset.

Tony doesn't say anything. I guess he doesn't have too.

I bite one of my fingernails. The room is silent.

Charlie sighs and stands up; he leaves the room without saying a word and climbs the stairs silently.

"Bella?" I turn to look at Tony. "Why?"

"Because I didn't want to leave. How could I? What he if came back, and I wasn't here?" My voice breaks. "But I already know he isn't coming back." I run my hand through my hair. "God, I need to get over it." I move from the chair I was sitting in and back to the couch to sit next to him. I lean my head on his shoulder. "It was so stupid."

"Come to New York with me."

I sit back. "What?" He doesn't reply. "Are you crazy?"

"It has been said before."

I laugh. "I can't just go."

"Why not?"

"Because … What about Charlie? What about my job?"

Tony pats my knee. "Bella, Charlie will be all right, and do you care that much about your job?"

"Well, no, but …"

He raises an eyebrow.

I gulp, and my voice becomes quiet. "What if he does come back?"

"Bella."

A lone tear runs down my cheek, and I wipe it away. I turn to look out the front window, the streetlight at the end of our driveway lights up the back of my truck.

"_Say something." _

"_What do you want me to say?" he asked in a detached voice. _

"_Tell me you forgive me." _

_Another tear runs down my cheek. _

"_Mike Newton ended up in this conversation because Mike Newton would be a hell of a lot healthier for you to be with." _

"_I'd rather die than be with Mike Newton. I'd rather die than be with anyone but you!" _

"_Don't be melodramatic, please." _

_I wipe another tear from my cheek. _

"_But my kind … we're very easily distracted." _

"_It will be as if I never existed." _

"_You're not good for me, Bella." _

He isn't coming back. I've known this the whole time, but I've been lying to myself. Charlie's tried so hard to pull me out of this funk I've been in, and I know he's disappointed in me for giving up that scholarship and staying in this town where nothing ever happens.

All because I'm heartbroken over a boy I dated for six months. I've spent more time pining over his return than the time we ever spent together. A boy I loved and thought I wanted to spend forever with. A boy I thought loved me too. A boy I was willing to turn immortal for.

But he's gone. And he isn't coming back. There's no point wishing for it anymore.

I don't know how long it's been quiet, but Uncle Tony is patiently waiting. I turn to look at him and wipe the last remaining remnants of tears off my face.

"I'll come to New York with you."

He stands up from the couch, and I walk over to hug him.

"I know this will be good for me."

"It sure will be, kid." He kisses the top of my head. "It sure will be."

xoxo

I come downstairs the following morning, and Tony is folding up the bedsheet from the couch.

I already know what his answer will be before I ask the question. "How'd you sleep?" I snicker.

"Like a baby. That spring poking into my left kidney helped lull me to sleep …" He turns to glare at me.

"I'll sleep down here if you're staying for a few more days," I say as I walk toward the kitchen and begin to pour some coffee.

He leans against the doorframe. "It depends on how many days you think it'll take you to pack everything up."

I turn around to face him. "Huh?"

"Always so eloquent."

I blush and hand him a cup of coffee. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "Is there any use in hanging around? You can hand in your notice at your job, pack up, and we can go."

"I dunno …"

He gives me a look. "Why are you stalling?"

"I haven't even told Charlie that I'm going, and you want me to hand in my notice at Newton's today?"

"You need to give your father more credit. You don't think this was his idea to begin with?"

I blink at him. "Huh?"

Tony laughs and sits down at our kitchen table. I know he's been here before, but it looks odd to see him sitting in our very humble kitchen. "When Charlie called me way back in September last year"—he pauses, and I can't help but wince—"he told me what had happened and wanted me to come and persuade you to leave then, but I knew you wouldn't want to go. He's been keeping me updated, and then you didn't want to go to Florida to your mother, which I can't say I blame you. I knew there wasn't any point in trying to get you to come to New York either. So, we waited until you'd graduated. I didn't know about Columbia. I'm surprised you didn't tell me about that." He takes a sip of his coffee. "Do you still want to go to college?"

I sit down opposite him at the table. "Well, yeah, but I turned them down, so they're not going to still want me anyway. And hasn't the semester started already?"

He waves his hand in a noncommittal gesture. "I can pull some strings."

I roll my eyes. "Of course, you can." I take a sip of coffee.

He stands up. "So when can we go because I can't sleep another night on that couch."

"I know I don't have a lot of stuff, but even I can't pack it all up in less than a day. Give me two days?"

He groans. "Ugh, fine, but I'm going out to buy Charlie a proper couch today." I start walking up the stairs. "One that's a futon!" he calls up the stairs, and I laugh.

xoxo

Tony was serious about going to buy Dad a new couch. He's scrolling through the GPS to find somewhere to buy one as I get out of the car at Newton's.

The rumor mill of Forks isn't going to be able to cope after seeing Tony Stark walking around town.

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, to psych myself up, before pushing open the front door of the store. There's no one in the store as I walk in, but it's October, so it's hardly surprising. I walk up to the checkout desk, and there's no one around.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" Mike says from behind me.

"Oh, jeez!" I jump.

He walks behind the checkout desk and looks bashful. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He looks perplexed. "You know you're not working today, right?"

"Um, yeah. Is your mom or dad around?"

"No. They're out of town. They've had to go to some wholesaler show or something."

I groan internally, I didn't want to give my notice to Mike directly. I put the envelope on the counter. "Can you make sure they get that, please? It's important."

He picks the envelope up from the counter. "Are you leaving?" He doesn't have to open it to know what it is.

"Um, yeah."

"Where are you going?"

"Uh, to New York. I've decided to go to college after all." I shrug.

"Nice."

There's a brief silence. "So, please make sure your parents get that letter. I won't be here for my shift on Friday because I go in, like, two days. It's all been a bit sudden." I'm rambling. "But, hey, it's been great working here, and please pass that on."

"Bella?" I hear Tony's voice as he walks into the store.

"Coming! Take care, Mike."

Tony appears around the corner. "Ready?"

Mike looks back between me and Tony, looking even more perplexed than he already did. I roll my eyes. "See ya!" I turn around and make my way out of the store. I hold the door open for Tony. "I told you not to come in there!"

He laughs. "I just really wanted to see that kid's reaction. Priceless."

"Ugh, people are gonna be gossiping so badly now." I climb into the Audi. "Did you get a couch?"

"You think it would fit in this car? They're dropping it off later."

"Dad is gonna kill you, but I know you don't care."

"Nope." He starts the engine and pulls out of the parking lot.

"I suppose this means I better start doing some packing." I groan.

"You said earlier you don't have much stuff!"

"Well, I don't, but that doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it."

xoxo

I've been upstairs sorting and packing stuff all afternoon, and I've officially had enough. I have more stuff than I thought I did. I stand up from my bedroom floor and groan due to how stiff I've gotten. I head down the stairs just as Charlie walks in the front door. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Bells." He hangs up his gun belt and walks into the living room. He stops in the doorway, looking at the new couch. I press my lips together to stop from laughing. "What's this? Where's my couch gone?"

Tony comes round the corner from the kitchen with a dishtowel over his shoulder. "It's a new couch!"

Dad looks at Tony. "I didn't need a new couch."

It's a blocky, square modern-looking thing, slung low to the ground and beige. Dad's glaring between Tony and the new couch. My guess is it'll be stained within the day.

"I respectfully disagree, Charlie. I'm staying here another couple of nights, and I couldn't have that other couch pressing springs into my back anymore. So, now you have a new couch!"

"You are insufferable."

"The only way you like me." Tony winks.

"All right, you two, get a room." I sit down on the new couch. "I like it. It's comfy." I grin.

"Bella has something to tell you, Charlie."

I glare at Tony. Dad sits down next to me. "I'll just be carrying on with dinner." Tony disappears back into the kitchen.

"You leaving?"

I nod. "Yeah."

Charlie has never been one for affection, but he leans over and hugs me. "That'll be good for you, Bells."

I hug him back. "Thank you, Dad."

"Just try not to turn too New York, okay?"

I laugh. "I'll try." I stand up. "I better go pack some more." I head back up the stairs and into my bedroom. I go to step around some of the stuff on the floor but trip over one of my sneakers and land hard. "Shoot!" I rub the bottom of my foot. I look down and notice that the floorboard is sticking out. "Huh." I kneel and pull up the wood. I let out a breath at what I see. I pick up the handful of stuff and place it next to me. I move my legs from under me and sit down properly. I look through the stuff and find the pictures that had been removed from my photo album, the CD he made me, and airline tickets to go see my mom in Florida.

"Bella? Dinner is ready."

"I'll be there in a second." My voice breaks at the end.

Tony comes to stand next to me. "Bella?" I hand him the stuff. "What's this?" He looks through it all.

"They were my birthday presents from last year, and he hid them. I just found them under the floorboard." I stand up and hold my hand out. "Give them here." Tony hands me the stuff, and I walk out of my bedroom and run down the stairs. I open the front door and run down to the trashcan on the sidewalk. I drop the things inside and slam the lid back on. "You're a cowardly bastard." I turn back and walk to the front door.

Tony raises his eyebrows at me from the front door. "You okay?"

"I am now." I close the front door. "What's for dinner?"

"Kraft mac and cheese."

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone to cook dinner."

xoxo

I wake up on Friday morning, feeling a bit odd, and then I realize that today is the day I leave Forks. I lie in bed for a little while, and then decide I should get out of bed and go use the bathroom. I come back and get dressed, and then pack my few last-minute things into a backpack. The stuff I've decided to take with me has already been shipped to New York.

I pick up one of my suitcases and head down the stairs.

"Morning, sunshine," Tony calls out.

"Good morning. You haven't made breakfast today have you?"

"No, you're safe. I made pancakes for you," Dad says from the couch.

"Thanks, Dad." I sit down at the kitchen table and start eating.

"I'll go grab the rest of your stuff, Bella," Tony says, and then climbs the stairs.

Dad comes to sit opposite me. "I'm proud of you, Bella."

I put down my fork after I eat my last pancake. "You are?"

"Of course. You're doing a brave thing. I know you didn't want to go, and I hope you don't mind that I called Tony, or that he's known about this the whole time."

"You needed someone to talk too, and of course, I don't mind. I know this will be good for me, Dad, and to be honest, I'm kinda excited." I smile.

He stands up and holds out his arms. I push my chair back, stand up, and walk into his hug. "I love you, Dad."

He kisses the top of my head. "I love you too, Bella."

I step away from him, and we walk out of the kitchen to the front door.

"You ready to go, Bella?" Tony says from the car. He walks up the path to the bottom of the steps.

"Yeah." I turn around and hug my dad again. "I'll call you when we get there."

He pats my back. "Okay."

I look up at him, and his eyes look watery. I walk down the steps to the car as Tony walks up to talk to Dad. "Look after her, Tony."

"With my life, Charlie." They hug, and Tony joins me back in the car. I climb into the passenger seat and buckle in my seatbelt.

"Ready?"

"Let's go."

Tony reverses the car out of the driveway, and I wave at my dad as we drive away. I wipe a lone tear away as we head out of the street. We pass the welcome sign into the town and head out onto the highway. I'm going to miss Forks, and I'll especially miss Charlie, but I know this is the start of something new for me, a new chapter. For the first time in the last year, my broken heart isn't ruling my every move.

xoxo

We arrive at the airport in Port Angeles a little over an hour later. Tony drives onto a part of the tarmac and parks next to a small airplane. He gets out of the car and heads over to the plane. I stay in the passenger seat and watch as Happy comes out to greet Tony.

I'm looking around the airport when the car door is opened. I gasp and swing round to face Tony.

"Are you getting out? Or are you going to stay here?"

"You scared me! You have to stop doing that!"

He rolls his eyes and closes the door behind him and makes a "come on" motion with his hand. I climb out and walk round to the trunk of the car.

"Your stuff is already on the plane, Bella."

"Oh." I blush. "Sorry." I make my way toward the plane and climb the steps. I stop just inside the door of the plane, completely in awe. "Wow."

"Cool, right?" Tony says from behind me.

"I'm never going to be able to get on a normal airplane again."

He laughs.

I sit down and look out of the window.

"It's nice to see you again, Bella."

I turn around and smile at Happy. "Hi."

Tony sits down opposite Happy. "We should be in the air for about six hours."

"Okay." I look out the window as the plane starts to move forward, the speed picks up as we go to take off, and I say goodbye to Washington.

At least, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey everyone! Alex and I agreed to upload the stuff that was submitted in the compilation once a week and then when we get to never seen before chapters, we'll go back to updates every two weeks. Sorry for any confusion! Also, we're uploading today as I have inventory at my store all weekend and will be working 12 hour shifts. Please review and we'll see you next week. **

**Chapter 2**

**SPOV**

"So, you'll want to keep this software going 24/7 with the parameters we've set up. That'll be your main focus for now and school, of course."

I can hear Maria speaking to someone, and I'm barely curious who Stark has pawned off on her this time. As I round the corner, I can hear the man himself.

"Now, Miss Hill, I think school should be the primary focus," he says, and I realize with a groan there's going to be an intern slinking around the tower.

"Tony, I'm signed up for classes, and I'll go, but—"

"It's Mr. Stark or Uncle Tony while we're at work, young lady." I can hear the three of them laughing heartily.

I stop in the doorway and stare at them until the young girl looks up and blushes when she locks eyes with me.

"So, it's Uncle Tony now?" I ask as I step into the room.

"I think it's Mr. Stark to you today, Cap." But he smiles as he stands and shakes my hand to drag me into the room a little more. "Captain Rogers, meet Bella Swan."

The young girl stands and smiles, but there's more of a smirk there.

"You like Bella, right? You haven't changed your mind again and decided you like Isabella now?" Tony asks the girl, and she lightly rolls her eyes.

"No, Mr. Stark. I prefer Bella, and I always have." She reaches out to shake my hand, "It's nice to meet you, Captain Rogers."

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Swan." Honestly, it is a pleasure. I'm surprisingly taken with her. She's much more polite than the previous handful of interns we've had, and the fact that she didn't fall all over me is a huge plus. Although …

"What's this 'Uncle Tony' business?" I ask as I hand off the requisition forms to Maria and perch on the arm of the couch.

"Steve, this is Tony's goddaughter, who now has an internship here," Maria informs me with a smile. "But she is brilliant, so there's probably only minimal nepotism."

My eyebrows shoot up in response as I smirk at Tony.

"Well, this sounds like an awkward conversation that doesn't warrant my presence," Bella says as she stands up and slaps her hands on her thighs. "Miss Hill, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

I watch as she walks out of the room, and I know my gaze lingers a little longer than necessary.

"Eyes up front, Cap!" Stark barks out at me, and I whip my head back around to look at him.

"What's with the kid?"

"It's a long story, but she had a rough year or so, and she was wasting her life away in some podunk town. She needed a new city, a chance, a new lease on life." Tony's eyes are shining slightly.

"She's smart, Steve. You'll like her," Maria pipes up from behind her desk. "She's quick, mostly quiet, but she has a great sense of humor."

I nod and rise. "Get those forms filed when you get a chance, will ya?"

I head toward the door, and I hear Tony's footfalls behind me.

"You gonna get on my case for giving a job to family?" he asks and grins as I roll my eyes at him.

"There's nothing wrong with taking care of family, Tony—blood or otherwise." I stop walking and stare at him. "How did Tony Stark end up as the godfather of a 20-something-year-old girl?"

"It's a long story. Just be nice and look out for her," he answers and continues walking down the corridor.

"I'm always nice!" I call after and laugh lightly when he stops and turns around.

"You're always polite, Cap. I told you to be nice." He turns again, and I can't help myself.

"She's pretty, Tony. Maybe I could take her out on my bike; show her the city."

"Back off, soldier boy. She has a thing for older men, and the last one broke her heart."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hidy Ho, Colliderinos! Yes? No? Moving on ... In case it wasn't apparent, this is a collab piece with That's-So-Alex and she is also posting on her page. If it's too confusing, let us know! We're trying to decide if we should combine or just use one profile to post on. Also, please review? It would mean the world to me as we've spent months working on this and making sure it's as amazing as we can make it! Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you next week!**

**Chapter 3**

**SPOV**

To say that Bella Swan was an enigma to me would be an understatement.

I was currently doing some reconnaissance to try and figure her out. She came across as shy and demure, but I'd overheard some fairly defiant outbursts between her and Stark.

She sometimes loved it when he called her "kiddo". He sometimes loved it when she called him "Uncle". Other times they both loathed those monikers.

Her story was that she moved to New York to go to Columbia for college, but I've yet to hear about her attending classes.

Mostly, she was working for Maria Hill, who of course was working for me, I mean, The Avengers.

I knew when she was in the offices. I could hear her voice. Smell her perfume.

She had captivated me. It was intoxicating.

I was terrified. Tony mentioned that she had a thing for older men. I certainly fit that category.

I had a thing for her.

I keep a professional distance whenever possible, but at this exact moment, she's walking toward my office. Her voice is soft but strong. I've heard her verbally spar with Tony and Bruce.

She's smart and witty.

She's funny.

"Captain Rogers." She's hovering in the doorway.

"Yes?" I'm trying not to stare into her eyes. They've trapped me before.

"I have the statistical reports you wanted from Agent Hill." She takes two steps in and places them on the edge of my desk.

"Thank you." I don't look up. I've stopped typing, and I'm sure she's noticed, but she doesn't mention it.

"You know, we have this thing called email, now? Super helpful." The sarcasm is so obvious it's hard not to smirk.

"I like hard copies." I finally look up at her and smile. "They're easier for me at times. Keeps me grounded."

She snorts, and I laugh out loud. I can't help it; she keeps herself composed 90 percent of the time.

"I could use some lessons in grounding myself." Bella sighs, and it's the look on her face that has me concerned, so I rise from behind my desk.

"What's the matter?" I take a few tentative steps toward her. I'm staring, and I can't help it. She's gone pale, and I'm sure if I reached out to touch her, she'd be trembling.

"You know you always stare at me." She spits out the words, and they sting like venom.

I stutter, trying to come up with an acceptable answer.

"My ex-boyfriend used to stare at me all the time too. I thought I liked it. I thought it meant he liked me." She takes a step deliberately away from me. "He didn't."

I'm not shocked but surprised that she opened up to me like that. As far as I knew, she hadn't spoken about her life before New York except for mentioning her parents or her schooling.

"I'm sorry." I take a step back and make eye contact with an air vent on the wall behind her. "I had no idea. I never intended to make you feel uncomfortable."

Bella scoffs and the sound is so harsh coming from her petite body.

"I know Tony told you; everybody knows why I'm here." She pouts, and I can see just how young she is.

"I don't know what you think Tony told me, or anyone else, but he would never betray your trust like that." I gesture to the low-slung sofa across from my desk, and she perches on the edge.

I lean against the edge of my desk, cross my arms across my chest, and take a good look at her.

Here she is all of 20, new college, new to the city; new to life if we're being truly honest here. She's got her whole life in front of her, and she came here. Why? To get away from a bad break up?

I've got to get a handle on my hormones because I can smell her perfume or her shampoo, whichever, and it's driving me crazy.

"So, you broke up with your boyfriend?" I ask quietly, feeling all of my 95 years.

"I like that you think I did the breaking." She frowns. "Uncle Tony never really said anything?"

Bella never refers to him as "Uncle" during working hours. She wanted to keep some things separate; I guess we're moving past that now.

"He never told me. I seriously doubt he told anyone—it's no one's business what brought you here."

She's quiet and unmoving, unblinking.

"Bella, are you all right?" I ask as I drop my arms and move to crouch in front of her. Her scent is so much stronger the closer I am. Her eyes are dark and warm. They're dry.

"Do you realize I've just been playing a part since I got here?" Her gaze flickers to mine, and our eyes lock. "I've been walking around like a zombie because I thought everyone thought I was some weak, defeated, brokenhearted … child!" She leaps to her feet, and I fall back onto the floor.

"I've been acting like I did when that soulless creature left me in the woods!" She's seething, and it's new and sort of exciting.

This Bella I'd like to see in the gym, to spar with her.

And other things.

"Wait, he left you in the woods?" I ask, and she glances at me awkwardly lying on the floor. She offers her hand to help me up, and when I take it, a jolt of electricity bolts through me.

"Sorry," I mutter as I move to the sofa and stare at her as she paces and stares at her hand. "So, the woods?"

"Yeah, Washington in September. I was in shock and sort of passed out. There was a search party. They found me four hours later," she explains, but she continues to stare at her hand.

"I'd like to wring that sucker's neck for doing that to you." I all but growl, and she finally looks at me again. There's laughter in her eyes.

"I'd like to see that, but even with all your rippling muscles, you couldn't do much to him." Bella sighs and sits down next to me. "Tony didn't tell you, but you should know. Everyone should."

"What is it?"

"Edward and his family are … different. They're—"

"Captain Rogers! There is a level three alert on Long Island. Your assistance is required immediately." JARVIS's voice breaks through the office, and I jump to my feet.

"Roger that, J. Fire up the Quinjet. I'll be there in two minutes." I glance down at Bella and smile. "Raincheck?"

"Sure thing. Go save some people, Captain." She smiles and scurries out of my way as I race to the top floor and the loading dock.


	4. Chapter 4

**_This chapter is dedicated to the memory of DataByteDL-FangirlinGranma or Granma Dee._**

_**The biggest fangirl and loudest cheerleader in the Twilight fandom. You are so missed. **_

_**{GIANT GRANMA HUGS AND SMOOCHES!}**_

**Chapter 4**

**BPOV**

I sit back down on the couch after Captain Rogers leaves the room, still staring at my hand. The electricity that passed into my hand after I helped him up off the floor was weird. It felt like a weird static shock, and I realize I haven't felt that since … I shake my head to try and get the memory out of my brain, but it doesn't work.

_He swiftly brushed the length of my cheekbone with his fingertips. The trail his fingers left on my skin was warm, like I'd been burned. _

I put my hands up to my head, gripping at my temples as if that's going to make the memory go away.

Like yesterday, he touched my face with the back of his cool hand, stroking once from the temple to my jaw, and then he turned and walked away.

The memory of our first time in the meadow comes into my head, of him listening to my heart, me tracing the features on his face, and me leaning into his chest and him putting his arm around me.

Of our first kiss.

And our last.

I feel the tears on my cheeks before I comprehend that I'm crying. I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand and close my eyes tightly.

"Bella?" Agent Hill comes into the room. Obviously, I've been gone too long. "Ah, there you are, I was—" She stops talking when she looks at me, and when she realizes I've been crying, her eyes go wide. "Shit, are you okay, Bella?"

I wipe my face again and stand up from the couch. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry I was gone so long. I didn't mean to be."

She studies me for a moment. "You don't look well. Are you feeling all right?"

I look down at the floor for a brief second and bite my lip. "I'm not feeling well all of a sudden …"

"You can go. There wasn't that much left to do today anyway. Especially now that Steve's been called away." She shoos me away. "Go get some rest."

"Thank you, Agent Hill." I turn around and begin to walk out of the room.

"Also, how many times have I told you to call me Maria?" I practically hear her rolling her eyes.

I don't reply and keep on walking out of Captain Roger's office. I reach my desk and grab a few things I need, mostly my cell phone, and go toward the elevator. I wait for it to arrive, silently hoping that nobody else will come this way. It dings and the door opens, and it's thankfully empty. I press the button I need, and then step to the back of the elevator, closing my eyes as I lean at the back.

"_You'll move on. Your kind are … quick to forget. Soon, I'll just be a distant memory." _

I take a shaky breath and open my eyes as the elevator dings again. I step out and walk toward my bedroom. I push the door open and step inside.

Today is the first time I've said his name out loud since I got here. I haven't even said it since Tony turned up in Forks. I roll my eyes as I think about everybody knowing the real reason I'm here, and of course, it makes sense that they wouldn't know. Why would Tony tell them?

"Oh, yeah, and my goddaughter is here now because her vampire boyfriend broke up with her and left her in the forest, and she's been a zombie for damn near two years."

I laugh and sit down on my bed.

I remember I was going to tell Steve earlier that they're vampires. It isn't my secret to tell, one I wasn't supposed to know at all. But maybe that's the best way to feel better? Send my new superhero friends after them?

I snort. I've never wanted to hate him more than I do right now.

I told myself I was done wishing for him to come back on that night Tony asked me to move to New York, that I was done pining over him.

I clearly wasn't.

But I am now.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: This is probably my favorite chapter so far and I had so much fun writing it! For the record, most of Bella's chapters are written by Alex and most of Steve's are written by me. This chapter is a turning point and I'd love to hear what you think or feel about it and the story. Thanks for following, favoriting, and reviewing! It means the world to us! **

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5 **

**SPOV**

"Oh, Steve!"

A small but firm and warm body collides with mine as I rounded the corner at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry." I bend down and help Bella pick up her belongings. She's holding a battered backpack and trying to shove a thick textbook and a couple of three-ring binders into it while I'm trying to collect what seems like two dozen various pens and pencils that scattered along the floor.

I hear the squeak of rubber on the marble floor as I'm stuffing the last pen into the case and look over just in time to see Bella topple over on her ass. She sighs, and then just flops backward, and I can just hear her sniffle.

I lean over to look at her, and Bella has her eyes shut tightly and tears are pooling in the corners.

"Are you all right?" I ask quietly. She opens her eyes, and I smile softly down at her.

"It's just been a long day, and then this happens and—" She sighs loudly. "Can I just cry for a minute? Because every time I start to cry around Uncle Tony, he immediately starts cracking jokes and"—hiccup—"generally tries to cheer me up."

"Sometimes, you just need to let it out," I say and offer her a hand to help her up.

She nods, and I grab her bag off the floor.

"You want to get out of here? You can cry all you want." I smirk. "I have great shoulders."

Bella sends me a watery smile and nods her head.

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel a little like a princess stuck in a tower." She takes her bag and starts to walk toward the living quarters. "Lobby, Rogers. Twenty minutes."

"Yes, ma'am."

To her credit, Bella didn't cry on my shoulder but seeing how red her eyes were when we met downstairs, I got the impression she got it out before we left.

"What's the plan, Captain?" she asks as she steps up to where I'm standing in the back corner of the lobby.

"Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?" I ask with a grin and lead her to the bank of elevators.

"This may come as a surprise, but I have." She laughs as we step into the open elevator. "I mean, if dirt bikes count."

I hit the button for the lower level garage and smile back.

"I mean, technically, it does, but you're in for a whole new experience." I look her up and down, and while she's a bit on the willowy side, Bella has fire in her eyes.

The fact that she wore a leather jacket hasn't escaped my notice either—I know she knows I have a bike.

"Nice jacket, by the way." I stride out of the elevator and hear her scurrying to follow.

I lead her to my bike—a Harley Davidson 750.

"Helmets are the law." I hand her the spare skullcap as I strap on my own.

The next thing I know, she's flush behind me with her arms wrapped around my waist, and I'm navigating us down 42nd street to FDR Drive and cruising along next to the East River.

Bella is comfortable on the bike as she's leaning into turns with me, keeping her feet up when we have to stop, and I don't feel her flinching in the ever-growing traffic situation.

"Are we going to Brooklyn?" She has to yell over the traffic and honking horns, so I grab one of her hands wrapped around me and squeeze.

She presses up against me just a little tighter as I maneuver us onto and over the bridge and into my hometown.

Here, I'm just some kid from Brooklyn; no one cares that I underwent experimentation back in the forties.

No one here cares that I've fought alongside gods and a man in an iron suit to save New York against an alien invasion.

When I cross the bridge from Manhattan, I'm just some schmuck on a bike.

I could stop in the Heights and show her around my old stomping grounds, but the idea of showing her the gentrified apartment building that used to be the tenement my mother and I survived in seems a little intense for today.

I just move us to Ocean Parkway and continue.

It's the middle of September, and at four o'clock in the afternoon, the weather is downright pleasant, and when I can't find parking anywhere close, I'm not too worried about the heat getting to either of us. "Where the hell are we?" Bella asks as she pulls off her helmet and passes it to me to secure it.

I shrug. "Coney Island." I offer her my hand with a smile. "Come on."

She grabs my hand, and I lead her down Surf Avenue, passed beach rentals, ice cream stands, and pizza shops.

I've always wanted to come here," she tells me with a wide smile. "I grew up seeing it on TV and in the movies, you know? It always seemed like an escape to another world."

"I used to come here whenever I had a little extra scratch." Some rollerbladers come flying toward us, so I pull Bella out of the way. "My buddy and I would come down, get a dog, and try to flirt with the girls. My friend was a great dancer."

I keep us moving. I don't talk much about Bucky and telling her now won't do any good. Besides, I'm trying to distract her today.

"Is that James? I mean, Bucky?" She's quiet and keeps her head forward as we continue walking.

"I mean, I've been to DC … to the Smithsonian. The exhibit is really impressive."

"Yeah, it is." I have to clear my throat. I'm still not sure I can say his name out loud. "That's him. They gave him a nice dedication."

She laces her fingers between mine and squeezes my hand softly.

"It's so hard to lose the people we love, to leave them behind … or be left."

She sighs and tips her face up to look at me.

"It's weird, I … never mind." The blush that covers her cheeks makes her seem younger than she is.

"What's weird?" I'm curious, so I tug her hand, hoping she'll look up at me again.

"Holding hands with you." She shrugs and laughs lightly. "Your hand is just so warm. I'm not used to that."

"What do you mean?"

"Is that Nathan's Hot Dogs?" The next thing I know, she's dropped my hand and is running the 20 yards to a famous restaurant. I smile and trot after her.

Half a dozen franks later and two trips up and down the boardwalk, I've finally talked Bella into riding the Cyclone.

"I'll puke all over you," she informs me, pouting.

"You had one hot dog, and that was almost an hour ago," I point out.

Bella shakes her head.

"It's not scary, and it's not even that fast." I'm all but pleading as I lead her to the ticket booth. "You've cried it out, now it's time to scream."

I want to hear her let go, to scream.

_Slow down, soldier._

"Steve, contrary to anything you might ever learn about me, I am not a thrill-seeker." She's laughing and trying to dig her heels into the pavement.

"Bella, children ride this. It's a rite of passage."

We're staring at each other now—she's got her arms crossed over her chest, and my hands have landed on my hips.

"What do I get if I go on it?" she asks me finally, and I grin.

"What do you want?"

"A prize." She breezes past me to the ticket booth and has two tickets before my brain can catch up with the action around me.

"You coming, Rogers?" She waves the tickets at me as I jog over to her.

"I was going to buy those." Pointing it out seems like a weird, macho move, but I was planning to buy them. She's a student and—

"I can feel your brain spinning from here." She laughs as we move into the line. "You got the hot dogs. I got these. You know about women's lib, right?"

I can feel my blush now, and while I know she's teasing me, there's a sting to it.

"I'm all for strong, independent women, Bella."

"But?"

"You're a student. They're not typically known for having a lot of extra spending money."

"Nice save, Steve. I'll allow it." She leans into me and drops her voice. "You know my godfather is very rich, right?"

"You know your godfather will have my ass handed to me if he thinks I'm not treating you right."

She smiles and wraps a delicate arm around mine while we move through the line.

"You better give me a really good prize then."

Ninety seconds later and all through the 12 drops and 60 miles per hour, Bella laughed, whooped, and screamed her head off.

I loved every millisecond of it.

At the exit, we find a bench, and she shoves me down to sit.

"You screamed." She's still trying to catch her breath, but she's pointing a petite finger at me and giggling. "You, Captain America, screamed on this rickety roller coaster."

"You didn't have to dig your nails into my forearm." I grab her hand, and she stops laughing.

"I think they have one of those games that test your strength. I'm sure I can win a great prize for you there." I say as I stand up and pull Bella behind me.

"Steve?"

I turn and realize she's dropped my hand. She's standing on the bench now and looks embarrassed.

She's tugging on the sleeves of her leather jacket and chewing on her bottom lip.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I stand in front of her, and she's barely taller than me, even standing on this bench.

"I just wanted to thank you … for today, I mean." She sighs and stops fidgeting long enough to put her hands on my shoulders and look me directly in the eyes.

"Today was a hard day for me. A lot of memories to compete with. I was prepared to hide out in my room and just … wallow in it."

She smirks and pats my shoulders.

"Then you ran into me, and the dam broke, and I—" Her voice breaks, and I pull her into my arms.

She cried on the floor when I knocked her over, and I'm pretty sure she cried before we met in the lobby, but she hadn't cried once today.

Not in front of me.

I rub small circles across her back and try to whisper soothing words, but I'm not much for comfort.

When she finally pulls away from me, she doesn't hide her face, but she immediately wipes her tears. I reach into my pocket and fish out a few leftover napkins and hand them to her.

"I'm going to tell you something, and then I'm going to do something, and it's going to seem weird to you, but I just need to you to roll with it, okay?"

I nod because what else am I supposed to do or say right now?

"Two years ago today, my ex-boyfriend dumped me and left me alone in the woods at dusk." She inhales sharply, and her eyes dart around the crowd, and I can't help but look over my shoulder.

"We were deeper than I realized, and I couldn't find my way out. A search party was sent out for me, and if they hadn't found me, well, I'm not sure what would have happened."

"You told me. The search party was out for four hours looking for you." I can't wrap my brain around what she's telling me.

She could have been seriously hurt or even …

"Steve, I was sad earlier, but honestly … this is the first time I haven't been angry or hurt when I talk about him. You kept me distracted and interested in something else."

I shrug and roll my eyes, but she catches me off guard once again when she leans in and plants her soft lips firmly on mine.

That jolt of electricity I felt between us all those weeks ago is back, and I can't feel or smell anything else but Bella.

She surrounds my entire universe in that single moment. I want to delve deeper, and I inhale, changing my angle to take her mouth.

Bella sighs, and one hand grips my shoulder and one hand cradles my face, so lovingly and tenderly.

My arms encapsulate her waist and draw her body flush against mine.

When her tongue swipes across my bottom lip, I open at her request and the soft flesh is eager and hot like mine.

It's not until we hear catcalling and whistling that we pull apart, panting and flushed.

Those in the crowd are good-natured, so I ignore them and just stare at the girl with rosy cheeks and swollen lips in front of me.

"Bella, I—"

"Weird, right?" she asks as she climbs down from the bench.

I drape my arm over her shoulder and pull her to my side as I begin to navigate us back to where I parked the bike.

"What? Because you told me your ex tried to kill you in one breath, and then took mine away in the next."

"That's not how he almost killed me." She's quiet, and I don't think she meant for me to hear that or to say it out loud.

"We're going to keep walking, but I have a whole new set of questions now."

She sighs again, and I feel her body slump a little against mine.

"Of course, you do."

"If you didn't want me to know, you wouldn't have said anything." I hug her to me, "Everything is enhanced with the serum, including my hearing. I'm pretty sure you knew that."

She's silent until we get back to the bike, and then she speaks up.

"I'll need to fill you in on everything, if you're interested in whatever this is." She gestures between us and looks up hopefully.

"I mean, unless you want to leave me in the woods too."

I can't believe she could even joke about that. I want to rip this kid's head off for doing that to her.

"Don't even joke. It's not funny." I grab her hand and raise it to press a kiss to her fingers. "You use humor just like Stark. Are you sure you're not blood?"

She grins and reaches for the helmet she used earlier and straps it on.

Once she's seated behind me, I turn slightly to look at her.

"I am very interested, Bella." I kick the bike alive. "Whatever this is."

"Good. Take me home, Mr. Rogers." She wraps her arms around me and snuggles in as I take off, and we leave Brooklyn behind.

When we reached the tower, I felt her sigh against me. Once we were parked and in the elevator, Bella is distant and quiet.

She's no longer holding my hand and is staring at the floor. When we reach the penthouse level, she steps out without a word, but as soon as she realizes I'm not behind her, she turns around.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" I ask as I slowly step out of the elevator.

She fidgets from foot to foot and won't look at me.

"I can't … and I don't think I should." Her voice is barely above a whisper, and she still won't look at me.

I step toward her. "You implied he tried to kill you. I don't think I can let that go."

Bella finally looks up at me. "I need you to."

I take a step away from her and rub my hands over my face.

"What if I can't?" I turn back to her and can see the tears welling in her eyes. "I feel something for you, Bella. I can't deny that. There is something between us." I grab her hands and pull her to me. "I know you can feel it. Don't ask me to just ignore this. That's not who I am or what I do."

She sighs and pulls away from me slightly. "I get that … but you need to understand that I can't tell you because I _do_ feel this between us. I want to protect you."

"Damned if we do …"

"Damned if we don't." She nods and wraps her arms around my waist as I lean down and rest my chin on the top of her head.

"You know there isn't a lot that can actually hurt me." I'm joking, trying to lighten the mood. I want to see her smile again.

"You don't understand, Steve." Bella pulls away from me suddenly and begins to pace. "He can!"

I scoff and start to protest, but the look on her face stops me.

"Edward and his family … I almost told you before, but you were called away. They're dangerous, Steve. I understand that now." She starts pacing again. "I thought I understood before, but now that I know what he's capable of … Believe me, they can hurt you."

"Bella, I'm not saying I'm invincible, but let's face facts. Not much is going to tear me down." I'm a little smug; there's no denying that. I also have a point.

"Look, they're not like me or you. They're not even really—"

"Isabella!" A voice thunders from the stairs above us, and I'd almost forgotten that we were in the living room in the penthouse. We both look up to see Thor leaning over the railing and smiling at us.

"Um, hi?" She's met him before, many times. He's an intimidating presence in any situation.

Luckily he's in "earth" clothes and left the damned hammer somewhere else.

"Isabella, I have been looking to speak to you about the Native people in the state where you once resided." He stands up and smiles. "I've heard tales of them being shapeshifters."

In that one remark, something has changed. The air around us is suddenly tight, and Bella has shifted away from me and is moving toward the stairs.

"Uh, yeah. The Quileute tribe has a lot of stories about shapeshifters in the tribe. I was really good friends with some kids who lived on the reservation, and they told me the stories." She smiles broadly and starts up the stairs. "I'd love to tell you."

"Fantastic! I came across a shapeshifter on another world, and I'm very curious to see if the circumstances are in any way similar." Thor is grinning widely and winks at me.

Frustration rolls over me in waves. Instead of speaking up and asking Bella to finish our conversation, I turn to walk toward my room.

I've kept my room on this first floor level of the penthouse for convenience, and I'm grateful I can escape to it quickly and quietly.

Just before I get to the door and reach for the keypad, I hear light footsteps behind me.

"Steve?" I sigh.

Everyone said dating had gotten progressively harder as the years went on. I obviously wasn't prepared for it. "It's been a long day. I need to get some sleep." I key in my code, and my door pops open, but I don't enter. "Would you have told me? If he hadn't interrupted us, would you have told me?" I turn to face her, and I can see the resigned look creep over her face.

I know the answer.

"I want to. I want you to understand that." Bella tugs on the ends of her hair and lets out a frustrated sigh. "Can you trust me that it's for the best?"

"I don't know. Honesty and trust go hand in hand, you know."

She clears the few feet between us and places her hands on my chest.

"I can be honest without telling you this." Her eyes are large and pleading, "You can trust me without knowing this, at least for now."

I drop my forehead to hers and inhale deeply.

"I can try. I don't know how long it will last because I know there's something I don't know." I grab her hips and lift her gently and press my lips to hers. "But I want to try."

Bella wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me back.

I know JARVIS is always watching, which means Tony is possibly watching. I lower her back to the floor, and she smiles at me with swollen lips once more.

"Good. You're the best prize I've ever gotten."

_Three months later_

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Bella is perched on the arm of my couch and looking at me bemused.

"A family-type dinner with everyone there? Sure, I'm totally fine." I'm staring at my pale reflection in a mirror and fumbling with the buttons on my shirt.

Bella snorts behind me.

"I just don't understand why we're calling it a _family_ dinner," I say as I undo every button and start again.

"Because we're a family?" She stares at my reflection, and I can't help but smile at her. "Clint and Pepper have been helping me all morning. Dr. Banner has been trying to help, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what a vegetable peeler looks like, so I made him take out the trash and run to the nearest bodega so he would seem helpful." I can't help but laugh as she sighs.

She looks tired; her hair is up in a messy ponytail, and her shirt is splattered with food stains.

"Steve, I never had this, okay?" I turn to look at her, and she's on the verge of tears.

I wrap my arms around her gently and kiss the top of her head.

"Don't cry." She sniffs a little and wraps her arms around my waist. I look down at her and decide on complete honesty. "Look, I'm just a little nervous because I'm pretty sure they're all getting suspicious. I'm not mentally ready for Tony to grill me about my 'intentions' with his goddaughter."

Bella snaps her head up to look at me, and I know I've crossed a line. She's so small and quiet most of the time that you don't realize she's got the temper she does … or the volume to match it.

"I love Uncle Tony, but I'm an adult. I don't need some men talking about their 'intentions'." She spits out the word, and I swear her volume goes up with every breath she takes. "And what do you mean you aren't mentally ready?" As soon as the words leave her lips, she freezes. Her eyes go wide, and her small hand smacks herself on the forehead.

"Jesus, Steve, I'm sorry. I am so sorry." The tears are back, but I stay rooted in my place. Since that night on Coney Island, we agreed that transparency, as much as we could give each other, was key.

"It's been six months since they found me." I slide my hands into my pockets. I don't want her to see how they still tremble. "Everything that I knew, everyone that I loved"—I close my eyes and sigh—"just gone. I didn't get to mourn. I just had to suck it up and move on." I walk across the living room to the window that overlooks the city. "I barely recognize this place. I don't know anyone, and I have to blindly trust the people who tried to lull me into a false sense of security when I woke up." I turn back to look at her, and I'm ashamed to see her with her arms wrapped around herself and crying silently.

"Then they made you fight again." She hiccups, and whatever spell I'm under is broken. I go to her and pull her onto the couch with me.

"I've only ever wanted to do what was right. Defending the city was the right thing to do. I feel so lost here sometimes. It's too loud now, and there are too many people."

Bella pulls away from me and sighs.

"Did you ever talk to that therapist? We talked about PTSD, Steve. It's real, and it's nothing to be ashamed of."

I don't answer her, which is all the answer she needs.

"I can bring a tray up for you so you don't have to be down there."

"It's not just that." I grab her hand and kiss her knuckles. "You've had a lot of time to grieve and move on from your ex. I just—"

"Do you need more time? I can give you more time." She stands up and starts pacing. "We've only been seeing each other for three months, Steve. I've done the be all-end all type of relationship, and it's draining." Bella stops pacing and smiles at me.

"I just want to be with you. I won't be a doormat or a second thought. So, when you figure out what you want, I'll still be here." She moves to me and raises up to kiss me. "Just don't take too long, okay?" She walks toward my front door. "I need to change. Fix your shirt and roll up your sleeves, all right? It's going to be fine. I made a cherry pie just for you."

She slips out, and I know she's right. I can feel it deep in my bones, but there's something else coming.

I don't know what it is or when it will happen.

But it's going to be big.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: If you want to leave a nasty guest review...man up and sign in. I'd love to be able to chat with you. If you don't like the story, that's fine...just move along. **

**Chapter 6**

**BPOV**

I'm tired. I'm not even taking a full course load, but between school, the internship, and Steve … I'm just tired.

I'm not saying that any of those things are a burden to me, but it's nice knowing that right now I can just go to my room and do nothing. I have no homework, and since it's a Friday with no plans with Steve, I get a night off.

_"Miss Swan, your uncle would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience."_

I haven't even been in the elevator to the living quarters in the tower for 10 seconds when JARVIS pipes up.

I sigh, "Jarvis, please tell Mr. Stark that my earliest convenience is sometime tomorrow."

_"I sense the sarcastic nature of your response and have directed it to Mr. Stark."_

"Awesome," I mutter as I step off the elevator and head down the hallway to my room.

After keying in my code and throwing my backpack on the floor, I head to the small kitchenette to find a snack.

Steve and I have the key codes for each other's rooms. Generally speaking, we don't enter without permission, but occasionally, we'll sneak in and leave notes.

One time, I left brownies for him on his counter.

One time, I found him asleep on my couch after reading one of my books. I run my hand over the buttery leather of the cushion.

_The day had been one nightmare after another, but seeing Steve stretched out on my couch with "Rebecca" open flat on his chest. I whipped out my phone and snapped a picture; I wanted to save this image forever._

_I toed off my shoes, set the book on the coffee table, and snuggled in next to him. There was just enough room for me, and when I pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, his eyes fluttered opened, he gave me a drowsy smile, and shifted to wrap his arms around me. _

_"Hey, how was school?" he stretched just a little as I burrowed farther into the sofa and his warmth. _

_"I've had better." I ran my hands up and down his chest. "How was the book?"_

_Steve's hands are tracing soft lines along my back as I begin to press kisses to his neck. "It was sad and haunting." I hear the sharp gasp as I press my body to his and continue to kiss and lick at his neck and along his jaw toward his ear. "The housekeeper is creepy."_

_"Mhmm, I told you." My voice is just a whisper in his ear, and his large hand slides from my back to knead at my breast. I hum in delight, and suddenly, Steve has shifted us so I'm on my back, and he's hovering over me. His elbows are on either side of my head, and he's on his knees between my splayed legs. _

_His face is flushed as he dips down to capture my lips; lips that are already stung from the five o'clock shadow on his face and ready for more. Instinctively, our hips meet in the middle, and I can feel how hard he is._

_In that moment, I know I'm not ready. I thought I was a long time ago. I thought maybe I would be again soon, but it's not today. When I pull away abruptly from his kiss, he searches my eyes for an answer. _

_"Not yet." He says it so kindly, firmly. _

_"I want to feel something, Steve." I'm not above begging because I feel a little desperate right now. It's building inside of me, and I need the release, so does he. "I'm not ready for … everything."_

_"We can give each other something." He dips back and sweeps his tongue over my lips and bucks into my center—hard and hot. _

_He pulls one of his arms down and around my back and wraps it around my waist to pull my hips forward to meet his every thrust. His mouth finds my neck and buries itself there, chanting my name in between licks and soft kisses. _

_My arms are locked around his shoulders, as much to keep him as close as possible as they are to keep me grounded to him. _

_I can hear the sofa feet slipping against the hardwood floor and Steve reverently whispering my name. I can feel his length pressing up against me again and again in just the perfect spot that, when the explosion hits, it's like a nuclear bomb. _

_Steve's panting and thrusting against my center as I come down. Just as I latch onto his ass, I feel him stiffen, and he lets out a grunt into my neck. His body goes slack against mine, and the weight feels glorious and not at all too much to bear. He pulls himself back up on his elbows and gazes down at me. _

_"How's your day now?" _

I smile at the memory and glance into my kitchen. There's a new note on my fridge.

_Tony desperately wants to talk to you about something. It's all he's talked about today. It took everything for Pepper and me to convince him to not collect you from school. Just FYI. See you tomorrow, Steve. _

_P.S. Thor's involved. I have more questions. _

I roll my eyes and sigh. This is the last thing I wanted to deal with right now.

Steve has been so great about me not telling him my secret. He knows it's not even my secret, but he also knows that I believe I'm protecting more people by not telling him. But when Thor asked me about shapeshifters … he couldn't help himself.

After I told Thor everything I knew about the Quileute tribe, which was admittedly not much, Steve wanted to know if that was my secret.

When it wasn't, he cooled down for a while, but every so often, he would ask again.

I understood; I really did. It didn't make it any less annoying.

The ringing of my in-house phone pulls me back to the situation at hand.

_"Hey, little miss! Are you ignoring me?" _Tony's voice rings out, and I move to pull up his image on the holo-screen and move into frame.

"I'm sorry. You have reached the life model decoy of Isabella Swan, please leave a message."

_"Look, it doesn't work when I do it, and it's not working for you." _He smiles. _"It's cute though." _

"What do you want? I'm tired."

_"I ordered Chinese—all your favorites. I'm working on a project for you. Goldilocks is helping, but I need some input from you too."_

"Did you order Thor his own? Because I'm not sharing, and I want to bring all the leftovers back up here."

_"Yeah, sure thing."_

"I'll be right down."

When I get down to Tony's lab, the only place he spends any time in, I see cartons of takeout all over one table and Thor gesturing wildly while Tony welds something.

I step into the room, and Thor greets me with a wide grin.

"It's about time! You need to tell Stark everything you know about the 'cold ones'."

I stop in my tracks and stare at Tony's back.

"Uncle Tony, may I have a word please?" I ask through clenched teeth.

"I think not." He turns off the welding torch and pivots to look at me. "I didn't say a word, he did." He cocks a thumb toward the god, and I'm staring in disbelief.

I suddenly don't understand anything that's going on and have no idea why I'm down here.

"I don't understand," I tell them as I hop up on one of the workbenches and look between both of them.

"Here." Thor hands me a box with egg rolls in it. "I know you favor these."

"I came to Stark as a precaution. I know of the 'cold ones' from my own father, Odin. He would tell me and my brother stories of Earth's own immortals."

"Vampires." My voice is barely audible, but Thor nods and looks to Tony.

"There is one group that believe themselves to be gods among humans." I gasp. "They are not. They are tyrants."

"I don't understand. So, Asgardians know about vampires?" I ask as I set the egg rolls aside. "You two are talking about them, and you want my input? Why?"

Tony turns to look at me. "We're trying to figure out how to protect you."

"Why do you need to protect me?" I can feel the panic bubble inside me. Edward left me. He didn't want me. I was just a distraction.

"He's never coming back for me. I'm nothing to him." I can barely breathe, and I clutch my stomach. I dry heave a little, and I'm honestly more annoyed at my reaction. As I try to hop off the bench, Thor comes and helps me down, and I start pacing on wobbly legs

"Isabella, he could come for you at any time. If this governing body of vampires finds out that you know about them, they could come after you." Thor is staring at me, concern written all over his face, but Tony … he isn't even looking at me.

"What is it?" I ask as I move to him. "Tell me."

"I've lost them." His voice is a hoarse whisper as he pulls up a screen and starts flipping through files. Driver's license photos, school records—all forged by some professional but still available.

"I was tracking them, but after they left Denali, we lost the trail." Tony looks over at me. "I promised Charlie I'd look after you. I need you to tell me everything you know about them."

"Like what? What are you building?" I swipe the screen away and look down at the suit he's modifying.

"It's for you. This is why I need to know everything you can tell me. I need to know how strong to make it." His eyes are pleading with me.

"You can't protect me from them." I back away from them both. "I'll write everything down and give it to you, but you don't understand."

"Isabella, what are you not saying?" Thor voice is booming even in the large lab.

I'm at the door, and I just want to go to my room. I want to cry and scream. I want to be myself.

I want Steve.

"They're stronger than any of you. If a vampire wants me, you won't be able to stop them."

I turn to open the door and look back at both of them.

"Or save me."

**SPOV**

_"Captain, you wanted me to alert you when Miss Swan was entering her quarters." _

"Thank you, Jarvis." So, the elusive Bella had finally left the comfort of her office and was home for the weekend. Now was the time to set things in motion.

I grabbed everything I had left by my door and head down the hall to hers. When I knock on the door, I can actually hear her sigh from the other side.

"Bella? Open the door. I just want to talk to you," I call out, hoping that she'll give in without a fight. She's been avoiding me for the better part of the past week. Unless it had to do with work, she hasn't spoken to me or seen me.

There's silence from the other side of the door, save for the padding of what I assume is her feet across the hardwood. I can picture her pacing.

"I gave you space because you obviously wanted it." I'm leaning against the doorjamb now. "You ignored my calls and texts. You changed the key code to your door, which by the way, I wouldn't have used. It's time to open up and talk to me."

I hear the click of the lock and the door creaks open. Standing before me isn't my beautiful girl but a hollow shell. Bella looks worn and beaten down. She beckons me in, and when I step inside, I'm appalled by the state of her place—the sink is piled with dirty dishes, takeout containers litter the counters and table, and there are just piles of clothes all over the place.

"Bella—"

"Are those for me?" She's pointing to the bouquet of wildflowers I'm holding, and when I nod dumbly, she takes them and moves about in the kitchen, finding something to put them in.

"Give me about 20 minutes, and I'll have this place cleaned up." Bella sighs as she looks at the flowers nestled in a clear vase as she sets them on her coffee table.

"I'll give you a hand," I say as I roll up my sleeves and grab her trashcan.

Between the two of us, we get her place back to rights in half an hour, working in complete silence. When we're done and I'm coming back from dropping the three bags of trash in the chute, I find her changing the key code again.

"I'm putting it back. I'm sorry I changed it in the first place." The tears are welling in her eyes, and I'm suddenly at a loss.

My objective had been so clear: come over here and get some answers out of her. Why had she been avoiding me? What had she spoken to Thor and Tony about last week? Were the two things connected?

"Sweetheart," I murmur as I reach for her, and the dam breaks, and I can feel her tears soaking the front of my shirt. "Shh, everything is going to be all right." I guide her to the couch and pull her down onto my lap and stroke her hair.

Bella brings her arms up around my neck and breathes deeply. "I'm sorry."

I pull away from her slightly to look into her eyes, "You don't have to apologize. Does this have to do with the conversation you had with Tony and Thor?"

She nods as she slips from my lap and settles in next to me on the couch.

"What happened?" I turn my body to face her and drape my arm over the back of the couch. I'm open to her, in more ways than one, but her knees are drawn up to her chest and her arms are locked around them. She's closed off, and I don't know how much I'll get out of her.

"I just didn't know how to handle all the information that was presented to me, and I shut down." She shrugs and gives me a weak smile. "It's not a good excuse, but it's all I've got."

"But, you didn't just avoid me; you haven't spoken to anyone else, and I know you skipped classes this week." I place a hand on her knees. "What is going on? What did Tony talk to you about?"

"Steve, please don't—"

"It always comes back to this secret, doesn't it?" I shove myself off the couch and try with all my might to stay calm, but I know it's useless. "I get that there are things you can't tell me. I don't like it, but it's there, so I have to deal with it. Bella, I think relationships are about being open and honest with each other. Is that ever going to happen with us?"

"I can't tell you. It's not because I don't want to, Steve. I made a promise, and keeping my word is important to me. It doesn't matter if Edward broke my heart and the Cullens betrayed me. I made a promise to them."

I stop and stare at her. "So this _is _about your ex. What is it? Is he looking for you? Did he threaten you?"

"Uncle Tony has been tracking him and his family since I left Washington, but he lost track of them." Her voice is so quiet that I have to take a seat next to her again to hear her clearly. "He's building me a rescue suit just in case."

"A rescue suit? Why would you need that?"

Bella sighs, and I can see again how tired she is. "I told you that his family is different, unique. It's just a precaution."

I'm somewhat stunned into silence when something occurs to me. "Thor was there. When you had this little talk with Tony, Thor was there." I can feel the agitation setting in again. "What does he have to do with this?"

I watch as her throat moves, and I can hear the audible swallow.

"He knows."

There's a ringing in my ears, and it sounds like a bomb just went off. I'm leaning over my knees trying to catch my breath.

"Thor knows." I'm not asking her to clarify anything.

"I didn't tell him, Steve. Neither did Uncle Tony." She reaches out a trembling hand to my shoulder, and I shrug her off.

"So how does he know?" My gaze is steely, and I see her recoil slightly from me.

"His father told him stories of people who were like Edward and his family when Thor was just a young boy—just bedtime stories." She's quiet again, and the tears have stopped, but her wide eyes are fearful. I don't know if the fear stems from me and my behavior or these bedtime stories that I know nothing about.

"Thor is over a thousand years old, and his father, Odin, told him stories about your ex?"

"Not him exactly, but those like him." Her resolve is so strong, and there's a part of me that celebrates her for it.

"What is he? The boogeyman?" I desperately want to make light of this situation and pulls us out of this.

"Yes. They're the thing of nightmares. They're going to come for me, Steve. One day, when we least expect it." She stands up and brushes past me. "I have to protect you because I love you. Not telling you the truth isn't a choice I make easily."

"I don't need protection." I'm yelling now as I jump up from the couch again, and she and I have put some space between us. She hovering near the front door, and for once in this conversation, she looks like the strong independent woman that I— "I love you too. Bella, I want us to be partners in everything, but that means you have to tell me everything."

"I don't have a choice, Steve. You have to accept what it is."

"I just have to accept that whatever or whoever he is, he can hurt you and all of us so badly? He can take you away from me? But you won't tell me what he is so I can protect you? I don't accept that. I can't accept that." I stride the few feet across the room to the door and where she's standing. My hand cups her cheek gently.

"You know where to find me when you want to tell me how to help you." I press a kiss to her forehead and walk out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**BPOV**

Since I moved to New York and started the internship, I've been working almost every day or at least finding something to do.

Of course, Tony is aware that Steve and I have been seeing each other, although he hasn't said anything specifically to me.

Movies, plays, art openings, picnics in the park when the weather permits.

Coney Island is still just _our _place, and we go there to get lost in the crowds.

Steve sits with me while I do homework, and I've even practiced a few speeches on him. I've tried to catch him up on a lot of things that he's missed, but 70 years of information is a lot.

For the most part, everyone accepts it. We get some good-natured ribbing here and there, mostly from Natasha. We have our time together when my homework and working for Stark Industries allows, and of course, when Steve isn't off saving the world.

Steve and I had our first fight a few days ago, yet again about me not wanting to tell him about the whole vampire thing. He just doesn't seem to understand that I'm trying to protect him and that not telling him is the best thing for everybody.

I sigh and rub my eyes. Maybe I should go and apologize to him. I stand up from the couch and head toward the door. I grab the remote to turn the TV off, but the news catches my attention.

"_Thanks, Greg. This is Sally Marshall reporting for ABC News. I'm here in Manhattan to report on the fourth murder in our state in just a few short weeks. There have also been several murders in other states, and although no police forces have commented to say that these are connected, we can only assume that this is the work of a serial killer." _

I put my iPad down and give the television my full attention.

"_NYPD is reluctant to comment at this time due to this being an active investigation. There doesn't appear to be any pattern between the victims at this time. We do however know that all the victims in every state have been exsanguinated …" _

When the news reporter says that the victims have all been drained of their blood, I gasp. Surely, there's only one thing this can be?

A vampire.

I pick my iPad up and search "recent NYC murders" into Google. A multitude of articles come up, so I click on a few from different news outlets and begin to read the first one.

_The first victim of the "Dracula" killer was struck down just four weeks ago in West Manhattan. Amy Long was just twenty-three years old when she was violently killed and drained of almost all her blood. NYPD has said she was on her way home from the gym at around ten p.m. when she died. _

I roll my eyes at the name the media have given to this "serial killer". Dracula? Really? I click on the next article.

_Patrick Flowers was the second victim of the "Dracula" killer. He was murdered near Long Island two weeks ago. Patrick was forty-one and had not long gotten off the ferry after finishing working late._

I click through the other articles, reading about the other victims. There have been murders across the country, including Seattle, Phoenix, Chicago, and Biloxi. My eyes go wide as I'm reading the other locations. How have I not seen this already?

There's a crime website that boasts about having access to M.E reports that aren't visible to other media outlets. All of the reports on the four victims say they had wounds on their necks, close to the jugular vein, and had almost been drained completely of their blood except the latest victim, who still had about two liters left. I look through the rest of the reports and a couple more articles; there's a particular paragraph from the crime website that catches my eye.

_The media has coined this serial killer as "Dracula", which is a play on words at this person draining their victims of their blood. But the main question is what does a person want with this much blood from people? Why are they doing something so specific? How are they getting the blood? What if the name the media has given this killer has any truth behind it? Vampires are myth and something Hollywood has coined … or are they? _

My eyes go wide as I read that last line. There's only one person I need to talk to now.

I get up from the couch and make my way toward Tony's workshop where I know he's most likely to be. Thankfully, I have access now, so I don't have to bang on the window for him to let me in like last time. I open the door and walk up to the desk he's sitting at.

"Uncle Tony."

He turns to look at me and blinks. "I thought you were having an afternoon off?"

"I am."

"Then why are you here?" He goes back to what he was working on.

I raise my eyebrows. "Am I not allowed to come in and say hello?"

He makes a noise of agreement.

I open up my iPad and start scrolling through the articles I found. "I don't know if you've seen the news lately, but they're talking about all these murders that have been going on. So I did some research into them, and I dunno if I'm just being cautious or if I'm going crazy, but I …" I stop talking when I realize he isn't listening to me at all.

Thankfully, I have just the thing for when this happens. I wasn't sure I'd ever need to use it, and quite frankly, I'm excited. "JARVIS, initiate the Ritalin protocol."

Suddenly, everything but the lights turn off, and this means that whatever Tony was working on is no longer switched on. I put one of my hands on my hip and wait for him to look at me.

He turns around with a smirk on his face. "You have my full attention."

"Are you sure?"

He frowns. "Don't be sassy."

"I learn from the best." I grin and repeat what I just said. "So I don't know if I'm just being over cautious, or going crazy, but what if this _is_ a vampire?"

After I say the word, he turns around to check the workshop and make sure there isn't anybody else in here. Luckily, the Ritalin protocol stops anybody else coming in, so no-one is going to find out about vampires … at least, not today.

"Bella."

Before he has a chance to say anything else, I hand him my iPad, and he scrolls through the articles. His eyebrows raise at various points, and I guess it must be over the "being drained of blood" part. After a while, he gives me back the iPad and folds his arms.

"Bella, we've seen and fought aliens, like six months ago, so this could honestly be anything at this point."

I know he's trying to placate me, and I fight not to roll my eyes. "You know aliens, and I know this. I know what this is!"

"Are you sure you aren't just being a bit dramatic because of everything that happened?"

There's silence as I think about what he just said. I feel tears in my eyes as my anger rises. Of all the people to say such a thing …

"JARVIS, lift the Ritalin protocol." I turn and walk out of the room without saying anything back to Tony.

If he won't help me, I'll go and find this vampire on my own.

xoxo

It's been three days since I saw the news and went to try and get help from Tony. I still haven't spoken to him and have been purposefully avoiding him.

I still haven't been to see Steve, so we haven't spoken since our fight, which was almost a week ago.

I've been keeping an eye on the news the last few days, and there haven't been any reports of another murder, so I figure if I'm going to try and find whoever it is doing this I need to go soon before they "feed" again.

It's occurred to me a few times that maybe this could be Edward, but then every time I do think that, I immediately brush it off because what will I do if it is? The masochist in me wants to go and find this vampire for that exact reason though … just in case it is Edward. Surely, I can be the one to stop him doing this?

I've been looking at the places where the murders have taken place and decided I'm going to head toward Staten Island, as nothing has happened there yet.

I finish work for the day and head back to my bedroom, thankfully without running into anyone. I watch the news in my room, making sure there hasn't been anything new, and I leave just as it starts to get dark.

I peer around my bedroom door to make sure there isn't anyone around and start to make my way along the hallway, toward the quickest exit I know out of the tower. Just as I'm headed toward the staircase I need, I see Steve coming to the top of the stairs. It occurs to me that he's mission ready, with a determined look on his face and wearing ... a new suit.

This one is a darker blue with no red at all, a dark silver star on his chest. Just as he's descending the stairs, I catch a glimpse of a SHIELD insignia on the right shoulder. Which means he isn't working with this team ... not with The Avengers.

I open my mouth and almost call out to him, to see where he's going … but I have my own mission. His clearly doesn't involve me, and mine doesn't involve him.

xoxo

An hour and one expensive Uber ride later, I arrive in Staten Island after dark. Yesterday, I found an abandoned school during my searches and have decided to have the Uber driver drop me off near there.

I've figured that if it is Edward, he'll be able to smell me, and surely, that will help me find him.

There's barely anybody around as I get closer to the abandoned school, and it's gotten darker outside, and I'm getting creeped out.

If this doesn't turn out to be Edward, then I'm most definitely a dead girl.

I can feel my heart beating faster, and as I'm walking along, I catch a glimpse of something moving very fast out of the corner of my eye. I stop walking and wait for a second. I hear a gasp, and when I turn around, I realize I haven't been anticipating it being this vampire.

"Alice?" I cry out. "Oh, my God, Alice, is that you?" I run toward her, intent on giving her a hug when she calls out to stop me.

"Bella, no."

I stop in my tracks. "It really is you. Oh, Alice."

"What are you doing here, Bella?"

"I've been following the news, and I figured out that it must have been a vampire. I thought maybe it was Edward, and I wanted to come and stop him." I shake my head. "I wasn't expecting it to be you." I realize that with Alice being here, it means that it's her who's been killing people. "Have you been killing those people, Alice?" I walk closer, and my question is answered when the gold irises I saw on her last time have been replaced with ruby red.

She smiles at me, but it isn't friendly. I gulp.

"It's actually quite ironic that you're here because all of this has been for you."

"What do you mean?" I fold my arms.

Jasper appears, seemingly from nowhere, and stands next to Alice. "We've been trying to find you for quite a while. Who knew you'd escape to New York City?"

I frown. "I didn't escape."

Alice tips her head. "And having The Avengers as your new friends. Are you hoping they'll rescue you now?"

I start to back away, but I'm pushed closer toward Alice as Jasper appears behind me. Alice takes my hand, and I flinch at the coldness of them.

"Don't you realize he wants you back? I'm sure he'll forgive you for betraying him. We've seen you with that soldier."

I shake my head, even as I feel Jasper trying to persuade me that it's true. "No, Edward told me that he didn't want me. I was just a distraction to him. He left me. You all left me!" I cry. I try to take my hand away, but her grip is tight. "Stop doing that, Jasper! I know he doesn't want me, and I don't want him!" My voice breaks as I feel him manipulating me, making me feel what I once felt for Edward.

"He never stopped loving you." She squeezes my hand, and her smile seems genuine, but there's something off in her eyes. They won't focus. "None of us stopped loving you." She closes her eyes. "I'm sorry for this next part, Bella. I am, but Edward hasn't been the same since you left, and neither have we. He's gone a bad way, and we need to stop him from completing his final task."

I try to back away, but Jasper's hand remains on my back. "I don't understand, Alice."

"You will." She smiles again, and this time, all of her teeth are showing.

"Don't do this, Alice. Please."

She comes closer toward me, and suddenly, her teeth are at my neck. I scream as she bites me. I can feel myself growing weaker as she takes my blood.

I'm abruptly dropped to the floor as Mjölnir swings by, and Alice drops me. I'm no longer held by her, and the burning commences. Just as I realize what's happening to me, I'm aware of someone kneeling beside me.

"Oh, Bella. Why did you do this?"

I struggle to open my eyes and find Tony next to me.

"I think this was inevitable." And I close my eyes again, letting the fire take me.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: After that cliff, we thought it was only fair to give the next chapter immediately. Chapter 8 also marks the beginning of all new content. For those of you reading from the Babies at the Border compilation...your wait is over. Once again, thank you to Alex and our team. None of this would possible without them! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

**SPOV**

The thing I was looking forward to most upon my return to the tower from DC was checking in on Bella. While we hadn't left things in a secure place, I knew without a doubt that I just wanted to be with her.

I didn't care about her secret.

That wasn't entirely true; I cared but I could overlook it. Bella had her convictions, and even if I didn't agree with the fact that the Cullens deserved her confidence, she was bound and determined to give it.

This had been a long forty-eight hours training with the new strike team, and all I wanted was to see my girl and relax.

When I reached the tower, I was met with silence, as it seemed everyone was out. Even JARVIS appeared to be offline.

I made my way to my quarters, and when I let myself in, I was disappointed when I realized that Bella wasn't there waiting for me. I had been holding out hope that she would be.

I dropped my bag and went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water when I saw the note taped to the door.

_Steve, _

_I'm sorry about how we left things. I don't want to fight with you, and I don't want to hide things from you. I wish my feelings could change, but they haven't. I found out some information tonight, and I believe it's connected to the Cullens. If I don't find out what's going on … I don't know, Steve. I have to know. I miss you, and I'm ready for you to be home. _

_Yours, _

_Bella_

"Jarvis? Where is Bella?" The note is clenched in my fist, and there's a lead weight in the pit of my stomach.

"_I'm sorry, Captain Rogers. Bella Swan left the tower last night and hasn't returned,"_ JARVIS's voice echoes in the silence of my quarters. _"Mr. Stark and Thor went to Staten Island to retrieve her."_

"Retrieve her? Jarvis, did Tony take the new suit he made her?" I drop Bella's note onto the table and walk out the door. The AI's voice follows me as I make my way back down to the garage.

"_Yes, sir."_

"Find them, Jarvis. Send me their location." When I reach my bike and strap on my helmet, I hear my phone ding just as I'm about to climb on.

I head out on the road and soon make it onto the 87 and headed north to find Bella. With guidance from Jarvis, I find myself maneuvering down a gravel road toward a sprawling log cabin.

When I park and climb off my bike, I notice how quiet my surroundings are—no birds chirping in the woods that surround the cabin, no breeze rustling the leaves, and no sign of human life.

Starting up the small set of stairs to what looks like a wraparound porch, I'm taken aback as Thor steps outside.

"My Captain," his voice is hesitant, but his smile is genuine. His posture looks relaxed, but he's clearly guarding the doorway that he just exited.

"Where is she?" I have no patience for pleasantries. "I want to see her … now."

"Captain, Steve … she isn't, well she isn't herself. She isn't well." Thor moves to me with his hands up in mock surrender. "I think it would be best if you came back at a later time."

_She isn't _well?

"Thor, I don't know what's going on, but I'm not leaving without speaking to Bella." I take a definitive step toward him. "She can tell me whether she wants me to leave or not."

"Well, that might be a bit difficult for her at this exact moment." Tony steps out onto the porch with his arms crossed over his chest. "She's, ah, unconscious, for lack of a better term."

I rush both of them, but they push me back away from the door. "I want to see her! What happened?"

I can feel the fear rising in me, and all I can think is that her ex-boyfriend made good on his unspoken threat to hurt her. That he somehow tracked her down and did something to her, and I wasn't here to protect her.

"Cap, I get it." Tony's got one hand clapped on my shoulder, and he's looking straight at me. "I just don't think it's safe for either of you right now."

"What do you mean?" I'm trying desperately to look past him into the house, to garner any sign of Bella. "Tony, I love her. I—"

"Yeah, I told you I get it." Tony guides me past Thor and pushes me into a deck chair. "Bella is my goddaughter. I'm responsible for her. My rules."

I stare up at him incredulously, "Are you serious right now? I know you know we've been dating for the past three months or so. Are you really going to deny me seeing her? At least, tell me what happened, please?"

I'm not opposed to begging at this point. If she's unconscious then she's been hurt, and I just want to help.

"Her worst fear … my worst fear. I can't tell you specifically, but you should know that eventually, she'll be better than she ever was." Tony's face is contorted as he explains nothing to me.

He's keeping secrets too.

"So, you won't tell me either? Whatever this big secret is, whatever caused her to be hurt, and you won't tell me? Even now?" I scoff. Tony and I had never seen eye to eye, but we were developing a friendship. At this point, he could be the stranger he was when I came out of the ice.

"Stark, tell him." Thor has come up behind Tony. "I'll go sit with her. When you're done, send him in. He deserves to see her."

Maybe someone was on my side.

**BPOV**

The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before.

Burning.

Like flames licking at every part of my body continuously. I couldn't figure out what was happening to me. The fire took over every thought—it consumed me. It was impossible to think about anything else.

I had no idea where I was. I couldn't make myself focus past the fire, to try to remember what had happened. All I could focus on was the pain in places I didn't know I could feel it.

**SPOV**

"I thought you were on my side, Point Break?" Tony smirks after him.

"Love changes things, Stark. Tell him." Thor disappears into the house, and Tony turns back and looks at me. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he begins.

"Let me start with the fact that I believe this because I've had the time to come to terms with everything, and I've seen all the evidence first hand." Tony takes the chair next to me and begins to tell me all about Edward Cullen and his "family".

I can barely believe what he's telling me, and after I interrupt him the first time, he stops me and just tells me to listen and save my questions for later.

He tells me everything he knows about the clan, Carlisle, and Esme, who would act as parents or guardians for Emmett and Rosalie, Alice and Jasper, and Bella's ex, Edward. All of them monsters. Each unworldly.

_Vampires. _

_You gotta be shitting me. _

I rolled the word around in my head as Tony told me things about the family.

"When Bella showed up on Staten Island, I believe she thought she would run into Edward." Tony drops his head and stares at the wood floor. "I think she thought that maybe she could talk some sense into him perhaps. What she found was Alice, who was her best friend. Alice and Jasper attacked her, and they … She was bitten, and the venom moved quickly."

"How? You said she survived before even though he sucked the venom out of her. Why did it move so quickly now?" I'm trying to stay grounded, and I want as much information as possible.

"I think her metabolism has changed as she's gotten older. I'm sure her heart was racing, and I believe there may be something, scientifically speaking, to do with the fact that she's already had venom in her. I'm postulating at this point, but it's all I've got." Tony leans back in the chair, and I can see how tired he looks.

"What do you need from me?" I'm already in defense mode. I'll do just about anything right now.

Thor and Tony have told me that she hasn't moved since they laid her down two days ago. I've been by her side the entire day I've been here, sitting vigil. They've left me alone for the most part, except for acquiring the blood sample that Tony took.

He and Bruce have a theory, but until Bella wakes up … if she wakes up, we can't do anything but hypothesize about it.

She's so still and quiet, exactly opposite of what Tony was led to believe.

I don't want Bella to feel any pain, but it would be better to have her thrashing around and screaming so we knew she was still with us.

Her pulse has grown so weak that I can't hear it anymore.

"Steve, you need to eat." Thor is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and staring down at me as I cradle Bella's tiny hand in my own. "She'll wake soon, and you'll need your strength to keep up with her."

"I'll tell you everything, but first, you need to eat." Thor points to the table, and I drop into the seat. He begins plating food in front of me: eggs and bacon, toast, and pancakes.

"Natasha taught me," he tells me with a grin as he sits across from me and begins to eat from his own mountainous plate.

"You're worried because you can no longer hear her heartbeat, but I can." He says it so calmly, but I choke on a piece of toast. "Have some coffee." He stands to grab the pot off the burner and bring it to the table to fill my cup.

"You can still hear her? So she's all right?" I sigh, feeling so relieved at this point.

"Of course, she's not all right, Steve." Thor drops into his chair and pushes his plate away from him and steeples his fingers under his chin. "She's been bitten and is going through the change to become a vampire.

"Steve, you need to really understand that she will not be the same person she was before. She will thirst for your blood and mine. She will want to hunt after humans, and we have to convince her not to." Thor sighs and leans back in the chair. As it creaks under his weight, I turn to look over my shoulder toward the room where Bella is resting.

"How do we do that? I mean, you're saying she'll be like an animal, so how do we stop the natural instinct?" Nothing in my life had ever remotely prepared me for this. I was scared and confused, but above all else, I just wanted Bella safe.

"We just have to appeal to whatever is left of her humanity."

**BPOV**

Somehow, I was aware that I was still. Too still. This wasn't part of what I'd been told. This isn't what happened when I was bitten by James just a few years before. Back then, I screamed, shook, and writhed with pain but not this time. How was this possible?

I tried to open my mouth to let out a scream. A scream I so desperately needed to release. I tried to move my limbs, to be able to writhe around in the pain, because surely that would make me feel better? Nothing worked. It was like I was paralyzed, unable to move, unable to scream.

The fire just continued to burn at every single corner of my body.

**SPOV**

"What happens if we can't …" I trailed off, hoping Thor knew my thoughts. He was looking out across the lake in front of the cabin and sighed deeply.

"Captain … Steve, we'll have to." He finally turns to look at me. "You love her, right?"

I nod and open my mouth to speak, but he holds up a mighty hand to silence me.

"Then you would do anything, whatever it takes, to ensure not only her safety but ensuring that she doesn't do anything she'd ever regret."

He was right; of course, he was. I would do anything to protect her and support her.

"I need you to leave, Steve. She'll be a danger to you when she wakes." He shrugs and offers me a weak smile. "I've got a suit that she'll tear through if she really wants to get to me, and we're fairly certain Thor won't be harmed."

I shake my head and stand up. "I'm not leaving. She's gonna be super strong and fast when she wakes? Great. Who better to help her learn how to move her body with her newfound strength and speed than someone who's been there?"

**BPOV**

I don't know how long it has been. Time didn't mean anything while I was burning.

_Please. Please, just let me die. _

Please, just let the pain stop.

**SPOV**

Thor's plan was to take Bella out to hunt almost immediately as soon as she woke up. Since she wouldn't have an experienced vampire to teach her to hunt, and we wanted to encourage the "vegetarian" lifestyle.

Thor made more sense to teach her, and Bruce was almost positive that he couldn't be turned if Bella attacked him.

Bruce was still doing the research, but he was confident he would have the answers we needed soon enough, and Tony would be back later today, hopefully with the results. Now, if only Bella could wake up and give me the answers I needed from her.

**BPOV**

It was almost like my senses started to come back to me. Time began to mean something. I still had no idea how long I had been burning. The pain didn't lessen, the fire still continuing to course its way through my body.

I still couldn't move, couldn't scream. But I began to realize that maybe this was a good thing. I was aware of someone beside me, of other people in the same place as me. So, not screaming was a good idea, at least for them.

My heartbeat was strong and fast. Too fast. Was this soon about to end?

I could hear the breaths of someone who was by my side. I could hear movement around me, a door being opened and closed. I felt pressure around my fingers. A squeeze?

"How much longer will she be like this?"

_Steve. _

I wanted so badly to squeeze his hand back, to tell him that I was okay, but I knew I couldn't. The pain wouldn't allow me.

"Her heart is strong. It won't be long now."

_Thor. _

Steve sighs from beside me and squeezes my fingers again, "Bella?" There is faint pressure on my shoulder. He whispers. "I'm sorry. I love you, Bella." He lets go of my hand and walks away.

_Come back. _

A different set of footsteps are walking toward us.

"No change?"

_Uncle Tony._

Sounding as impatient as ever. I wish I could roll my eyes.

I'm unaware of how long it's been again. It could have been hours or days, but suddenly, the pain changes. It dims as if it's leaving my body, and I wanted to sigh in relief. But the relief was short-lived—the fire moved from my hands and feet to more inside my heart.

It was already beating too fast, but the fire drove it to a new rhythm.

"Thor?" Steve sounds anguished. He must be beside me again.

"You must leave. She will soon wake."

My heart is loud, so loud I'm sure it must be able to be heard for miles. The flames were leaving other parts of my body but moving into my chest; my heart felt like it was just going to beat its way out of me.

"You must go," Thor says once more.

Steve squeezes my hand. "I'm not leaving her. She won't hurt me."

I hear a sigh that I know instantly comes from Tony. It was probably accompanied by an epic eye roll. "You know where the suit is." His footsteps disappear from the room. "I'll leave. Call me in a couple of days."

"This is a risk, Captain."

"One I'm willing to take."

Thor sighs. "At least, stand on the other side of the room."

Steve kisses my forehead and moves to the other side of the room.

All I can concentrate on is the sound of my heart. The fire was fading; my heart was winning this final battle.

Suddenly, my heart beats once more, and then there is nothing.

I'm overwhelmed by there being no pain. No fire, no flames. It has all gone. How can this be?

I realize that I'm free of the pain, and this must mean I can move again.

I open my eyes.

**SPOV**

"Bella? Can you hear me?" She hasn't moved from the bed yet, but I can see her eyes darting around the room.

"I truly think you should step out and get to safety, Captain." Thor has deliberately moved between the bed where Bella still lies and myself.

I'm beginning to think that maybe he's right when Bella is in front of me in a flash and Thor is on the floor.

I look down at her small body, which I understand now is hard as stone and cold as ice; all I can see is red eyes and a curled lip.

"So," she murmurs as she runs her hands roughly up my arms. "Everything they told me was true." She inhales deeply, and her back arches slightly.

"Bella, you don't want to hurt Steve." Thor has finally regained his balance and is edging closer to the two of us. Bella's eyes go wide.

"I don't want to hurt Steve. I need to hunt … now." In another flash, she's gone, and the front door is swinging on its hinges.

"I'll go after her and guide her," Thor tells me with a clap to my shoulder. "Everything will be all right."

"I won't leave her." I stand up and walk toward the door. "When you truly love someone, you don't let go. No matter what."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

**BPOV**

For five days, Thor has been by my side as I hunt bobcat and deer in the woods of upstate New York. He's a quiet companion but offers helpful advice whenever possible and has the foresight to bring me a change of clothes for the inevitable moment when I get dirty from the hunt, and then filthy from the feed.

I'm a sloppy eater, but I've gotten a lot better during the week.

"How are you feeling today, Isabella?" Thor can fly, so when I take off running, I never feel as if I have a bodyguard or babysitter. I look up to see him descending with Mjölnir grasped in his hand.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and finding no red traces, I smile at him. "I feel okay. I really want to see Uncle Tony though."

Thor bends over to pick up a palm-sized rock and tosses it in the air and catches it when it falls. "Do you think that is wise?"

Running my hand through a patch of clover and I look up at him. "I miss him. I know I can't see Charlie for some time, and I understand that."

"It's just too dangerous, Isabella." Thor sits down next me and places his hammer between us.

"I know." I sigh and run my hand over the gleaming surface. "But Uncle Tony built the rescue suit, so I want to see him."

"Have you fed enough? Cleaned up?" I nod at Thor as he rises. "Then let's head back to the cabin and speak to Steve about this."

I've lost count of how long I've actually been sitting in this chair, staring at the empty fireplace. I hear a door open in the back of the cabin and footsteps making their way toward me. There's a small knock on the door.

"You can come in." My voice startles me slightly. I'm still not used to the new tone of it.

Steve opens the door and peers into the room. He frowns when he notices that I haven't moved since he last came in, which was probably less than twenty minutes ago.

"You don't need to knock on the door every time you want to come in here."

He moves into the room and sits down on the other couch. "I don't want to startle you."

I roll my eyes and scoff. "I can hear you no matter which room you're in. You couldn't startle me even if you tried."

He tilts his head. "Bella …"

I hold my hand up. "Please don't."

"But I will." He stands up and comes over to stand beside me.

I flinch back from him. "I don't wanna hurt you."

He grins at me. "I don't think you could."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Do you wanna try?"

"If it'll cheer you up." He puts his hand on my shoulder, and I try my hardest to not flinch back from him again. "Bella, I'm trying to help you. You know that, don't you?"

I nod. "I know you're struggling with this …"

I stand up, and this time, it's Steve who recoils back from me, obviously at the speed with which I moved.

"You know that I'm struggling with this?" I fold my arms.

"I know how it feels to change into somebody different."

"The difference here is that _you _didn't change into something you didn't want. You _chose _to become different! And _you _didn't become a vampire!" I leave him standing there as I run out of the room and the cabin and into the forest nearby. As I get closer to animals, my throat burns more, but I do my best to ignore it and not give in to the need for blood. I climb a tree all the way to the top, and as I sit on the very top branch looking out over upstate New York, I break down into tearless sobs.

I walk back toward the cabin a few hours later. After coming down from the tree, I found a herd of deer. I still somehow managed to get my T-shirt ripped even though I wasn't hunting a carnivore.

Steve is waiting by one of the windows as I walk in, and he turns to face me with his arms folded. He smirks when he sees that I ripped my shirt … _again. _

I bite my lip. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier."

"It's all right."

"This is all still so … new and confusing …"

He moves closer toward me. "I know what it's like, you know."

I sigh. "I know. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

He takes my hand, and I smile. "I may not be a"—he stumbles over his words—"vampire, but I know how it feels to have what feels like a new body and having to get used to new feelings."

I smirk. "Will there ever be a time when you don't stumble over the word vampire?"

He grins.

I link our fingers together. "When I originally envisioned this happening to me, I thought I'd be around other vampires, and therefore, the transition would be easier. I'd have them around me to help me deal with the rush of emotions and all the new senses and everything else. And I know you're here with me, and I'm _so _grateful for that." I sigh. "I'm just … I'm so scared that something is going to go wrong, and I don't want to hurt you … or somebody else."

Steve squeezes my hand. "You should try giving yourself a little more credit, you know. From what I understand, you're doing amazing."

I smile at him. "I just found you. I don't wanna lose you."

"You won't."

I feel like he's going to kiss me, but he squeezes my hand again and lets go of it. "Tony wants to come and see you."

I shake my head. "I want to see him, but am I ready?"

Steve tilts his head in confusion. "Just hours ago, you were ready to see him. What changed?"

"Do I really need to say it again? I just said to you that I'm worried I'm gonna hurt someone, and you wanna bring a human here?"

"Am I not a human?"

"You don't count." I frown. "And you aren't even technically human."

"I disagree, but you're changing the subject."

I try to stare him down and be as intimidating as possible.

"I already told him to come."

I glare at him, and a growl bubbles up out of my throat, and Steve takes a step backward. It startles me too, and my hand flies up to my mouth. "I'm sorry." I drop into the nearest chair and bring my knees up to my chest.

Steve is still standing back from me, looking like he's ready to fight me. He seems to come out of a trance and drops onto his knees in front of me and grabs my hand again. "If it worries you that much then I'll tell him to not come."

"Just make sure he brings the rescue suit."

He chuckles and kisses the back of my hand. I look up at him and smile as butterflies flood my stomach. "Whatever makes you feel better." He grins at me, and then his eyes soften. "You really do need to believe in yourself more, Bella."

It's a couple days later when Steve gets confirmation that Tony is going to visit. Clearly, there wasn't a break in his schedule.

At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, I hear a car roll up the driveway to the front of the cabin, and I immediately feel panic come over me. If my heart could still beat, I know it would be racing. "Are you gonna stay?"

Steve comes up to me and takes my hand. "Of course." He squeezes my hand. "It's going to be okay. You've known him your whole life."

I swallow the venom that's in my mouth. "Yeah, but I wasn't a mythical creature for most of that."

Steve chuckles. "I'll go and let him in." He squeezes my hand once more and walks off to the front door.

I rub my hands together while I wait for him to come back. The door opens, and they walk in together, talking about how I've been getting on. I roll my eyes since Tony obviously doesn't realize I can hear every word they're saying. Steve comes to stand beside me again, and Tony walks toward me rather slowly.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hi, Uncle Tony."

He tilts his head. "So I get 'Uncle' today?"

I dip my head and look at my feet. "I'm sorry."

"What exactly have you got to be sorry for, Bella?"

"I—" Steve starts to move away, and I reach out to grab his hand. I look up at him and shake my head. He squeezes it again.

"You'll be fine." He points behind him. "I'll just be in the other room." He lets go of my hand and walks away.

I look at Tony, who has one eyebrow raised. "We can talk more about _that _later on."

I can't help but smile.

Tony sits down on the couch and pats the seat next to him. I sit down but not right beside him.

Tony sighs. "Oh, Bella." He reaches out and takes hold of my hand. The temperature of them makes him flinch. "They're cold." I take my hand back and lay them in my lap, and Tony frowns at me. "Bella."

"I'm sorry I left the tower that night, and I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone where I was going." The tears would be gathering in my eyes if I could cry. "It was reckless and irresponsible."

"You might get that from me." Tony smirks. "Even if we aren't related by blood."

I reach out and grab his hand as gently as I can. When he laces his fingers with mine, I know I'm going to be okay.

"They'll be back, you know."

"Who?"

"Alice and Jasper."

Tony still looks perplexed.

"Alice is Edward's 'sister', and she's the one who bit me. They'll be back, and she said Edward will come soon as well."

"We should've killed them the night you went out there."

I shake my head, "No, I don't want that. I want to avoid as much death as possible." I sigh and stand up, leaving Tony on the couch behind me. "But I want to be ready when Edward does come."

I take a deep breath and turn back around to face my godfather.

"I need to learn how to fight."

**AN: Can you feel it? We're getting close now!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: **

**SPOV **

I had taken in so much information in the last 72 hours that now I was in overdrive, and this was the straw that was going to break the camel's back. I couldn't imagine teaching my newly formed vampire girlfriend how to fight, but the determined look on her face told me that if I didn't, she'd just find someone else.

"Cap, you still awake over there?" Tony's looking at me curiously, and I don't think he realizes the emotions I'm dealing with. "I'm going to need your help. Thor's too."

"What am I supposed to do, Tony? She's a predator. How do I teach her to fight?" I scrub my hands over my face and sit back against the couch cushions. "She might rip me limb from limb while I'm trying to help her."

"I doubt that'll happen, Steve." Tony clears his throat. "She told me that you're her mate."

I can feel the blood drain from my face as I jump to my feet and scramble to the door.

"Don't run, Steve. She needs you right now." Tony sounds tired. "We all do."

I swing the door open and grab my leather jacket off the hook and shrug into it.

"I need some air," I tell him as I walk swiftly out the door and climb onto my bike.

It's dark when I return, and I sit on my bike for a few minutes before I swing off and make my way to the front steps of the cabin.

"I see you finally came back." Bella's voice rings out from the darkness, and it startles me.

"It's late. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I don't sleep anymore, Steve." She emerges from the darkness, and in the moonlight, she glows like an ethereal being. "If I want to pass as a human, I have to teach myself to blink and force human food down my throat. I can't cry. I can't sleep. I'm not a normal person anymore."

She's angry, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't expecting this. Bella being angry was one thing. Bella with the capacity to maim and possibly kill with her bare hands while angry, well that was another.

"Bella." I put my hands up in front of myself. Not in a defensive manner, but in submission.

"Where were you?" Her voice catches. "I needed you here with me, next to me."

I sigh and sit down on the porch steps. "Well, I needed some time and some space."

I hear the rocking chair squeak under her weight as she sits down in it behind me.

"Why?"

It's now or never.

"I don't want to teach you how to fight." I thought that maybe some clarity would come to me on my ride, but I am dead set against this. "I can protect you."

Bella laughs darkly. "No, you can't. Steve, they'll kill you in an instant." She's by my side in an instant. "And if they changed you … I couldn't bear it. I don't know what I'd do."

Her face is contorted in pain, and I suddenly know the right answer. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and give her a squeeze.

"You'd be stuck with me for eternity, that's what. I'll teach you, but you have to be well fed before each session, and I need you to understand something."

"What?"

"We're a team—me and you." I turn her to face me. "But Tony, Thor, and everyone else … they're on our team too. You have to trust them and listen to them."

"I can do that. Can you teach me to launch off your shield like Natasha does?"

I laugh. "Yes. Can you promise not to change me during your training?"

Bella leans away from me. "Do you _not _want to be changed?"

"I have my concerns," I tell her as I try to pull her close to me again, and she acquiesces.

"Of course, you do." Bella leans into me, and I smile against her hair. "Maybe it can wait, but we'll need to talk about it at some point."

I stand up and pull her up with me. "How about when you master the launch off my shield? Then we'll talk about it."

The next day, a timid-looking Bruce shows up at the cabin, and it takes Thor, Tony, and myself to convince him that Bella won't harm him before he comes inside and willingly sits down.

It isn't until Tony and Thor are standing behind him, directly across from me and Bella, that I realize something is going on.

"What's going on, Uncle Tony?" Bella is still soft-spoken, and I can't help but marvel at how well she's adapting to her new life and circumstances. "You three look like some kind of united front."

Tony begins walking around the room. "Kiddo, we gotta figure some things out." He points around the room to all of us. "It's time for some lab work."

"We're pretty certain Thor wouldn't be affected by your venom since he's technically immortal," Bruce finally speaks and takes his glasses off to clean them on his shirttail. "But we need to check everyone that we consider enhanced on the team, and frankly, we're checking Natasha and Clint as well."

Bella sits down lightly on the armchair across from Bruce. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"We'll need to take a sample of your venom and mix it with everyone's blood samples to see the interactions." Bruce looks up nervously at Bella.

I can't help but notice how silent Thor is, and Tony is uncharacteristically quiet.

"So, you want to milk me?" Bella is all but seething. I can feel something radiating off of her, and I look to Thor as he cocks his head and stares at her.

"Like a snake … for my venom?"

Tony and Bruce glance at each other before Tony moves toward his goddaughter.

"Sweetheart, we need to figure out what the possible consequences are." Tony smiles at her and reaches out to caress her cheek.

She looks up at him and sighs. "Fine. Where's the vial? I know you both have one." She looks at both Tony and Bruce.

Each man whips a couple of vials out of their pockets and hands them over to her.

"I'll need your help, Steve." Bella reaches for my hand, and we both move to the front door of the cabin.

"Isabella, I do not think this is the wisest course of action." Thor starts toward us.

"I'll need your help too, Thor."

I'm not sure exactly what she's thinking, but I trust her.

We step outside, and Bella suggests moving to the larger clearing where she tends to spend some of her free time after hunting.

"Steve, I need to smell your blood. Fresh, free-flowing." Bella paces away from me, then turns to face me. "I can smell you everywhere. When I'm out in this field, I can still smell you. It's how I know you're my mate. It consumes and overwhelms me; it's the thing I struggle with most right now."

"Which is why I believe this is a terrible idea," Thor chimes in from behind me.

There's a certain clarity that comes with being a vampire. Bella had explained this to me last night. Everything she was as a human is just amplified as a vampire. She was fairly smart and logical, now even more so.

She knew Tony or Bruce would be coming for her venom to test, she just hadn't expected it to be this soon.

"I'm going up the mountain." Bella gestures behind her, and Thor nods as he steps up beside me. "There's enough of a breeze that I'll smell you; although I know I would without it."

She presses a kiss to my chin before she darts off, and she's gone from my sight in a flash.

"You trust me, don't you, Captain?" Thor is staring at me seriously, and I nod.

He holds out a hand, and I somehow know to hand him my pocketknife that I always carry. He opens it and gestures to me again. I hold out my left hand, and he carefully and quickly slices across the palm.

It's not deep, but the skin tears open, and the blood runs deep red. I wince when I hear a set of thundering feet headed our way. What I see when Bella stops dead in her tracks three feet from me is a feral animal, chest heaving with her heavy breathing, nostrils flared, and a wild look in her eyes.

She opens her mouth and pulls out the vials. Bella's eyes stay locked on mine as she spits into each one, filling them completely, and then handing them over to Thor after managing to stopper them.

_My girl is amazing._

"You need to hunt," Thor says gently. "Go now."

Bella hesitates for a few seconds and finally spins on her heel and takes off again.

I wrap my hand in a handkerchief and turn to Thor. "Well, that was something."

"Let's get you back and cleaned up." Thor claps a hand to my shoulder and guides me back to the cabin. "I have a feeling we won't see your vampire for several hours."

Four days have passed since Tony and Bruce came to the cabin and took blood samples from Thor and myself. Bruce is certain Thor can't be changed, but the god insisted he be tested against the venom.

We did get a preliminary report two days ago that Tony, Natasha, and Clint would in fact be changed if the venom made it into their bloodstream and starting circulating.

Tony came up today to visit and tell us more news about the study.

Bruce seemed to be a bit of an enigma—he could be changed, but the Hulk couldn't. He couldn't be sure what that would mean for his transformations into the Hulk, so we would be taking precautions there. Although, he was curious to find out if Bella's teeth could tear through the green guy's skin.

Thor, as was suspected, would not be changed. His blood composition being so completely different from humans, even enhanced ones, gave him the biggest advantage in helping Bella with her training.

Thor had her out in the clearing now working on her moves and trying to harness her newfound agility.

The only problem we were facing was me; my results kept coming back "inconclusive". There was no real way to tell what would happen with me if I was to be attacked by an enemy vamp or if Bella and I decided it was time for her to change me.

"The theory Bruce and I are working with is that if you were to be significantly injured and in a weakened state, that would be the time the venom would work best on you." Tony sits on the floor in front of the empty fireplace and sighs. "I don't have a solid answer. I'm sorry."

"I guess I'll just have to be careful." I grin at him, and he sighs again.

"It might not be that simple, Cap." Tony reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a folded up piece of paper and hands it to me. "They're coming sooner than we thought. She's only been changed for a month and they already found her."

I open up the paper and stare in shock.

"We found it in Bella's quarters at the tower."

Written in some kind of blood was loping handwriting that simply said, _**"We're coming for you both."**_


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Alex and I have decided to do two final chapter dumps. Today you'll get chapters 11-14 and on May 16th you'll the last two chapters. From here on out be prepared for character death. I'm so ready for the reviews and the hate. It fuels my hate fire to write more. Enjoy and please review. **

**Chapter 11**

**BPOV**

"You can't stop now. I thought you didn't get tired?" Thor's eyes are shining with humor.

I flop onto the ground and spread out like a starfish. "I don't … but I still feel like I need a moment. It's weird."

"Bella?" Tony's voice calls out from inside the cabin, and I turn my head toward it. "Can you come in here for a second?"

"You can have your rest now, Isabella." Thor chuckles.

I leap up from the ground, resisting the urge to flip him off, and head for the cabin. I walk in and feel immediately on edge—my nose turning up at the odd smell in the room.

"What on earth _is _that?"

"I'll resist the urge to make a joke right now." Tony smirks, and I roll my eyes.

Steve looks concerned. I make my way over to him, and he smiles at me.

"What's up?" I tilt my head. "And what _is _that smell?" I say, scrunching my nose.

"It's probably this." Tony hands me a piece of folded paper.

"Unless you found it in a dumpster, I don't see how it can be this." But it has to be. It smells like a gym bag full of sweaty clothes that have been inside for three years and rotten eggs.

"Just take it." Tony holds the paper out to me between two fingers.

I take the paper from him and unfold it, the smell coming out tenfold as I do so, and it makes me recoil and gag. It takes me a split second of looking at the note to know who wrote this.

"_**We're coming for you both."**_

"This is Edward's handwriting, and this is human blood." I take a deep breath. I'm trying to wrap my head around several things at once—like how this human blood mixed with Edward's scent is repulsive—but Steve smells like a five-star meal. Mostly, I need more information and time to focus.

"Where did you find this?" I ask as I read over the note a few more times.

Tony looks at Steve, and there is silence.

"Somebody tell me. Please?"

Steve answers. "It was found in your quarters at the tower."

I'm momentarily stunned into silence. Edward has found me. No one is safe from him.

Knowing instantly that he has to be somewhat nearby, I drop the note and dash back outside.

"Thor!"

He comes out of the tree line. "Yes, Isabella?"

"We need to carry on with my training." I roll my shoulders.

"Finished resting?" He smirks.

"You're right. I don't need to rest, and we have pressing matters. There's no time to lose."

Thor looks confused, and I can tell that Steve and Tony have joined us outside, and they all appear to be having some sort of silent conversation. After a moment, Thor seems appeased and joins me in the clearing.

"All right. Let's go."

* * *

"I would just like to go on record as saying that I think this is a terrible idea." Uncle Tony is standing across from me with his arms crossed over his chest. "And I'm generally the one promoting the bad ideas."

"I agree with Tony," Bruce pipes up.

Steve shifts underneath me as I sit on his lap. "Me too, doll."

"I also think it is unwise," Thor spits through a mouthful of Pop-Tarts.

Natasha and Clint are on speakerphone with us as they drive up to the cabin. "Clint thinks it's a hilariously bad idea." I can just make out his laughter over the line. "I hate agreeing with Tony Stark on anything, but I have too here."

I sit there looking at everyone and realizing for the first time that they might not trust me.

This "family meeting" sucks.

When Tony showed me that note yesterday, my mind started reeling. I was certain the three Cullens would arrive any second to attack. When they never showed, I began to have second thoughts about whether the note was actually from them or not. I wanted to get their scent so I would know when they, or whoever it really was, was close to the cabin.

But I was confused about something. "Why didn't they just track me here to begin with?" I ask the group at large, and when no one answers, it hits me. "How did I even end up here?"

"JARVIS brought you here," Tony says as he sits down on the couch next to Bruce. "I was working on the rescue suit for you, and all the suits are equipped with JARVIS' AI. I remembered what you said about Alice and her abilities, so I just told JARVIS to make the best decision."

"That still doesn't explain how—"

"He's an AI, not a human," Tony explains as he leans forward. "He can think, but he doesn't actually have a brain or emotions, both of which are needed to make decisions. I took a gamble that the little one—Alice—wouldn't be able to read him."

I gape at Tony for a moment. No one had come remotely close to this cabin in the couple weeks that I'd been here. We'd been so lucky in that regard, and since it seemed that, except for Steve, I was a natural "vegetarian"; things were going well.

Of course, now with this imminent threat, things were about to change.

"Genius," I mutter. "Charlie always said you were a crazy genius."

"Well, I do have my moments," he adds with a smirk.

It breaks the tension a bit in the room, and we all laugh a little until I stop and my ears perk up.

"Someone's here." I stand from Steve's lap and listen. "Two heartbeats. It's Natasha and Clint."

Steve stands as well. "Good, now you can shut up about learning how to launch off the shield. Nat can teach you."

He nudges me in the ribs with his elbow, and I grin. When I hear Clint's laugh and Natasha's husky voice, I relax significantly.

* * *

Riding up in the elevator, I can feel all of us on edge. Bruce remained back at the cabin with Clint, but Natasha joined me and Steve, along with Thor and Uncle Tony, to go back to my quarters at the tower.

When the doors slide open and we all step into the hallway, one of us finally speaks.

"I still don't like this," Tony says with worry in his voice.

I roll my eyes. "It's going to be fine. I won't let anything happen to you or anyone else."

Steve squeezes my hand, and I can hear his heart beating faster than normal. I link my fingers with his and squeeze his hand as well before letting go.

I step forward so I'm level with Thor, who is standing by the door already. I turn back to grin at Steve, who has pulled out his shield. If I could sweat, I would be. I could smell something was off before we even went inside.

Steve comes to stand next to me, and before I can warn him, Thor speaks. "Not a wise idea, Captain."

"I don't care."

Thor sighs but doesn't say anything and pushes on the door to open it. I'm not prepared for the scent that immediately greets me, and I should never have thought smelling another vampire's scent for the first time wasn't going to overwhelm me.

It smells too sweet, sickly almost, and even though I haven't seen him for years, and especially not since I became a vampire, I can tell this scent belongs to Edward. A growl begins low in my throat, and I crouch down, ready to pounce, ready to protect my mate.

"Bella?" I hear somebody say my name, but my instincts have taken over, and I am not paying attention.

The growl becomes louder and rumbles out of my throat, somebody moves past me in my periphery to stand in front of me, and I stand to my full height, continuing to growl. Tony is standing in front of me wearing one of the Iron Man suit gloves with his repulsor lit and focused on me.

"Bella. You need to stop."

"Tony, don't do that," Steve pleads. "She isn't herself."

I continue to growl, and the elastic band that has been holding me together inside since I changed snaps so I feel the need to protect Steve.

Suddenly, Steve is beside me on the floor, and the band settles down almost as quickly as it sprang up to begin with. All thoughts about the vampire scent are gone, and I'm on my knees on the floor beside Steve.

"Oh, my God. Are you okay?" I pick up his hand.

He looks at me with a dazed look on his face, but then grins. "You just knocked me over."

"I didn't mean to!"

"What the heck just happened?" Tony exclaims.

I let go of Steve's hand while he gets up off the ground, and I look at Thor, who is grinning from ear to ear.

"Bella just released her shield." When all of us remain silent and staring, he continues, "Many cold ones have secret gifts. Bella has told us that Edward can read minds and the other two can see the future and control emotions. Bella is a shield. It's most likely why Edward couldn't read her mind."

"That's ironic," Tony quips, and I roll my eyes. "The two lovebirds—both have shields."

"Shut up, Stark," Steve barks out from the floor.

I ignore both of them. "I didn't even know I could do that!"

"It was quite marvellous," Thor says. "We need to practice with it. It will change the way you fight."

"Before you make too many plans, what about the reason we came all the way here?" Tony says.

"Oh, right. The scent belongs to Edward. He was here on his own and must have left the note." I try to calm myself down. "So, where are Alice and Jasper?

All I can really think about is the fact that Edward, who has gone insane or feral or whatever, had gotten into the tower with some of the most advanced security systems in the world.

"How did he get in?" I ask Tony as I turn around to face everyone.

"I … I don't have an answer for you, Bella." Tony actually looks ashamed, and I put the thought out of my head.

"But you said there were no casualties here?" My relief is palpable when they all confirm that no one was injured. "Okay, good."

"Then it's time to get to work," I say and nod to Natasha. "Let's kick this up a notch."

As we ride the elevator down and walk out of the tower, I feel eyes on me, and I wonder when Edward will strike.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**BPOV**

We arrive back at the cabin and Thor and I are in the clearing wanting to practice with my newfound ability. Natasha stays outside with us while Tony and Steve both go back inside. I knew it was Edward's scent that set it off before, and wanting to protect Steve, how was I supposed to bring it to the surface again without some sort of threat? I knew that, given time, I would be able to control it so I could use it at will, but time wasn't something we had. We were no closer to figuring out when Edward was going to arrive and even if he was going to be on his own. We could have hours, days, or it could still be weeks.

Because I knew it was there now, it was almost like I could see the haze of it around me all the time, but I still didn't know how I was meant to make it work. I didn't even know what it could do—it could protect me, but could I get it to protect others as well? The unknown of this was going to drive me insane. Luckily, I didn't sleep anymore because if I did, I don't think I'd be getting any.

"How are we going to practice this? I don't even know how to make it work." I roll my shoulders in preparation and try to push the haze so that it's surrounding me, but all I manage to do is push it out insignificantly before it snaps back into place. The feeling of it makes me shake my head.

"Hey, that was good, Bella!" Thor praises.

I tilt my head. "Can you … see it?"

Thor nods in affirmation. "I've known it was there the whole time, but I knew you would not be aware of it until you had the motivation."

"I need to be able to control it."

"Which will come over time. For now, you need to be motivated." He begins to swing Mjolnir around and lightning starts to gather in the sky.

Natasha chuckles from behind me. "Throw the poor girl in at the deep end, Thor."

The lightning continues to gather in the sky, and I try to force the haze out again before I'm knocked over by a bolt of lightning. Thor brings the hammer down, and I'm not able to stretch the shield far enough to protect myself, and the lightning knocks me back to the ground.

I lay on the ground in a slight daze before leaping back up again. "You know I'm flammable, right?" I say with a grin.

Thor doesn't reply and swings the hammer again.

"Let's hope you protect yourself before you get set on fire then, Bella," Nat taunts from behind me.

I try once more to push the shield outside of myself, but once again, the lightning comes from Mjolnir and knocks me down to the ground before I'm able to push the shield out far enough.

I pant as I leap back up from the ground and crouch ever so slightly. "Again."

* * *

**SPOV**

Back at the cabin with Bella and Thor practicing the use of her newfound gift, I sit on the porch with Tony and watch the show. I cringe every time Thor hits Bella with a bolt of lightning.

"Buck up, Cap," Tony says as he claps a hand to my shoulder and takes a seat next to me. "Thor knows better than to hurt my goddaughter."

I pull my eyes away from the scene in front of me to look at the man next to me. "How did that come to be, by the way? You don't seem like a family man." I let the words trail off as Tony looks out into the distance, past Bella, Thor, and Natasha.

"It's kind of a weird story, but Bella's father Charlie? He's my oldest friend," Tony tells me with a wistful smile. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for Charlie or Bella."

I smile at this different side of Iron Man. "How'd you meet?"

"Summer camp," he says as he turns to me and smiles. "My parents thought I needed to socialize with kids my own age, so my dad sent me away for two months during the summer. Charlie Swan was a kid who loved the outdoors and everything that came with it.

"He's two years older than me, and we got paired up because he'd been to the camp before. He showed me around and generally looked after me. I was shrimpy—skinny and shorter than everyone else my age. Charlie protected me."

I smile knowingly. "That certainly encourages loyalty. I had that once."

"Not just loyalty but trust and camaraderie," Tony explains as Bella picks herself up once again.

"Of course it does, but that doesn't explain how Bella became your goddaughter."

Tony laughs and looks out at Bella as she spars with Natasha and tries to use her shield to block the Widow.

"Has Bella told you much about her mother?" Tony asked carefully and quietly. Bella pauses and turns to look over her shoulder at us on the porch.

Natasha takes her moment of distraction to sweep her legs out from under her.

"No, she hasn't mentioned her much at all," I tell him. I watch as Bella stalks toward us.

"What exactly are you two talking about?" she demands in a whisper.

"I'm telling Steve about how I became your godfather, kiddo," Tony says as he reaches out for her hand. "Is that okay?"

"Oh, yeah. That's fine. Sorry, Uncle Tony." She hugs him quickly and presses a chaste kiss to my lips and skips back out to the practice field.

"Did something happen with her mother?" I ask seriously.

"Well, after Renee left Charlie when Bella was barely a year old, Charlie almost lost it. He was inconsolable. Renee had full custody, and he felt as if he'd never see his daughter again," Tony tells me, and while I myself am not a parent, I can feel empathy for Charlie Swan.

My love for Bella is so different than that of a parent, but if I could never see her again, I feel like I'd lose my mind.

"So, maybe I helped him with an attorney," he tells me with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "When he couldn't keep tabs on Renee because she moved around so much, maybe I hired a private investigator to keep track of her."

"You took care of Charlie like he used to take care of you." It's a statement of fact not a question.

"I wasn't always a heartless monster, even before this." He taps the arc reactor in his chest. "This isn't the only thing that gave me life. That young woman out there, the same one who used to make me mud pies whenever I'd visit or send me art projects from school to my office.

"The girl who sent me every school picture, even though she usually had a bandage somewhere or a scar, she called me the first time she made honor roll and the first time she failed a test," he sighs and leans back in his chair. "We may not be blood, but the Swans are definitely my family."

* * *

**BPOV**

We've been practicing for hours, and I still don't feel like I'm getting anywhere with making this shield work. Thor has probably sent a hundred lightning bolts at me in that time. Even Nat had to go and have a break from helping. Steve and Uncle Tony have been sitting on the porch gossiping like old women the entire time.

I'm knocked to the ground again by another lightning bolt and lie there panting. "This clearly isn't working!" I bark.

"Captain, will you come over for a second?"

I jump up and snarl at Thor. "_Absolutely not_!"

Thor folds his arms and raises an eyebrow. "It is evident that you have an immense ability … you are just lacking incentive at the moment."

I narrow my eyes at him. "This is out of the question!"

"Captain," Thor calls again. "Natasha, you can come as well."

I let out a long growl.

Steve joins us on the clearing with Natasha close behind, and I look pleadingly at Tony, but he just smirks at me from the porch.

"Am I about to be a guinea pig?" Steve asks, but Thor doesn't reply.

"Natasha, do you have your gauntlets?"

Nat looks concerned but nods at Thor.

"Captain, stand in front of Bella."

I growl again, my anger rising with every second. Steve comes to stand in front of me. "Stay away, Nat," I warn.

"No can do, Bella."

I continue to snarl and anger is coursing through my body. The strength I try to keep at bay so as not to hurt Steve flows through my muscles, and I know that if I need too, I could end her. Nat puts her arms out in front of her, and the gauntlets startup and begin to shine blue. I curl my lips back from my teeth, and the snarl becomes vicious. Steve looks back at me with concern on his face, but I'm too focused on protecting him.

"Be careful." Tony's voice comes from closer to us than before.

The shield comes more into focus, and the haze that it was before has now become a film covering my entire body. I push it out from myself so it covers Steve as well.

Nat takes a careful step forward, and two electrodes shoot out from the gauntlets. I make sure I hold the shield tight around us both, and instead of ending up on the ground as I have done before and with Steve hurt, the electricity bounces off the shield and shoots back toward Natasha, who ducks, and we all watch as the beam hits a dry patch of grass and lights it on fire. Thor stamps it out with his boot and smiles.

The shield comes down, and Steve turns around to look at me with a wide grin.

I frown and look him up and down, surveying for injuries. "Are you okay?"

He cups my face and kisses my forehead. "You did it, Bella," he whispers.

I lean back and look toward Thor, needing the confirmation from him, and he winks at me. "See, Bella, all you needed was the right motivation."

"It could have gone really wrong!"

"No, it wouldn't have. You wouldn't have let Steve get hurt."

I huff and fold my arms.

"Bella?"

I turn back to Steve and smile. Relief floods through me at knowing that I managed to make it work after all the hours of practicing.

"I'm so proud of you." He kisses me. "I love you."

I grin. "I love you, too. Let's get out of here."

**EPOV**

From up above on top of the mountain where I've tracked Bella's scent, I can see her clearly, messing about with a group of four people I knew were some of the Avengers.

They didn't worry me. I was more concerned about Bella's newborn strength and whatever abilities she may possess.

I watch closely as Bella was continuously attacked by lightning but wasn't affected.

Was it possible? Could Aro be right about her?

_Was Bella a shield?_

As if my resolve hadn't already been cemented, I knew I needed to bring her in and have her as my mate within the walls and protection of the Volturi.

I begin to step away from the edge when a breeze whistles past me and down into the clearing. I see Bella turn and look up toward me.

Tomorrow. This all ends tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**BPOV**

It seemed like every minute of each day was spent on practicing how to make my shield better. I'd tried to refuse using Steve as a guinea pig again, but Thor insisted on using him as my "motivation". Thankfully, I hadn't failed yet. But we still had no idea when Edward was going to arrive, and it was only about one month since my change. I couldn't understand what he was waiting for. Surely, Alice was still with him and was able to see everything we were doing to prepare, so what was the holdup?

My eyes were changing to the golden color they were supposed to be with every passing day, and I was able to leave longer between hunting. It seemed that Thor's theory on me being a _natural vegetarian _was right, as the animal blood was keeping me strong and not being used up quickly. It was still only Steve who smelled like a gourmet meal to me—no other person I'd seen or come across smelled anywhere near as appetizing—so it meant that when we were eventually able to return to the city, I wouldn't be a threat to humans. It was almost safe to say I wasn't the "_normal"_ newborn that Thor had been expecting. As far as I was aware, there were no other vampires who had ever taken to the vegetarian lifestyle this quickly, or so easily. The one person who would be able to answer my questions on this would be Carlisle, but it wasn't like I could just call him up.

I was still practicing with both Nat's electrodes and Thor's lightning bolts, and sometimes even Clint's arrows, and getting better at projecting my shield each day. It was getting easier to control and to keep hold of it for longer periods of time.

I was getting restless at still being at the cabin, and I really wanted to go back to the city. I wasn't ready to go back to college; I was pretty sure that was out of the question, but I just needed some normalcy back. I mostly felt like I was keeping everybody else from their normal jobs. The whole time everybody was here looking after me, they weren't able to look after any other people who needed them.

We're having a break from practicing with everybody having something to eat. I'm just standing back, trying not to look as disgusted as I feel by the smell or look of the food. Thor's plate is piled so high I don't know how it isn't all falling off.

"So you don't eat anything at all, Bella?" Nat asks.

I blink. "No." I wrinkle my nose. "It smells and looks disgusting anyway."

"What happens if you _do _eat it?"

I shrug. "I don't know, but I'm not about to find out for you. I don't think it'll be the most enjoyable experience."

I turn to look out the window, tilting my head when I hear a noise that sounds like it's coming from the trees. I stand up and go out to the porch, but I'm not able to hear the noise anymore.

"Bella?" Steve comes out of the door and closes it behind him. "What's wrong?"

I look back to the trees, surveying the distance. "I … don't know. Something feels … different."

Suddenly, the wind changes direction, making my hackles rise instantly as the smell reaches me, and I growl involuntarily. It's a scent I haven't even smelled before but I know instantly what it is.

_Vampire. _

"They're here."

Steve takes my hand and links his fingers with mine. "I better suit up." He kisses the top of my head and disappears back inside.

All of the training and practicing has come down to this.

* * *

**SPOV**

Just as I'm grabbing my helmet, there's a knock on the bedroom door, and I open it to find Bella looking nervous.

"Steve, I just—"

"I know. Me too."

She launches herself at me, and we almost topple over before I correct our balance.

"Just remember what I said. If you have to you take their heads off." Bella sighs and turns toward the door.

"What is it?"

"Someone's pulling up in a car … with a heartbeat," she sniffs the air and groans quietly. "It's Bruce."

We run outside to see Tony, Thor, and Natasha where we left them in the clearing, staring out looking for our uninvited vampire guests.

Everyone turns to look at us. "We have a guest." Bella points around the side of the house as Bruce steps around and smiles.

"Hey, I thought I saw you out—" He looks around at all of us. "Steve, why are you in your suit? Tony, I thought that was a prototype suit? Why are you wearing that?"

"Bruce, buddy, you might wanna suit up yourself," Tony says, using air quotes, and Bruce starts to panic.

"No, no. I came here to get another blood sample from Steve, not be part of some brawl in the woods!"

Bella walks to Bruce and puts a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "You stick with me. You listen to me. Trust the Hulk, Bruce, and trust me."

"Trust me, Bruce." A saccharine voice calls out from the distance, and we all turn to see two figures moving closer to us.

Bella moves to a point position at the front of our group, and I move to flank her left while Tony takes her right.

"What are you two doing here? Haven't you done enough damage?" The two figures continue to move closer. "Why now? Why here? What do you want?"

"Are you happy to see your brother and sister, Bella?" The male, Jasper, asks coldly. I feel a giddiness come over me before it suddenly disappears.

I look over at Bella and I can see the concentration on her face as she pushes her shield to encapsulate all of us.

"So, you are gifted. Aro suspected as much. He and Edward will be so pleased." Alice bounces up and down on her toes and claps her hands, but the joy doesn't match her face.

"Hey, doll." I can hear both Jasper and Alice growl at the term of endearment I use toward Bella. "Do you remember when we talked about 'good cop, bad cop'?"

She nods slowly; it was before the change so she's dredging it up from her mind. Then the clarity hits her. "I remember."

I hear a murmur from everyone else and a quiet panicked "No" from Bruce before Tony and I charge at the two vamps with Thor and Natasha quick on our heels.

I notice it takes a moment for Alice to realize that Bella is standing still with Bruce positioned behind her, and she leaps over us and rushes toward Bella.

"The four of you for little ole me?" Jasper's southern drawl comes out thicker than I expected.

_He's putting on a show. _

With my shield poised, I see his eyes widen as he realizes he might be outnumbered, outmatched, and outgunned.

* * *

**BPOV**

"Bruce, just stay behind me," I told him quietly as Alice makes her way, almost casually, to us.

"We just want you, Bella." Alice is stalking me like I'm her prey. "If you come with me, we'll leave everyone here alone and safe."

"What makes you think I believe you, Alice? You went against Carlisle and fed off humans. You killed innocent people, Alice! How could you?" I begin to circle with her as Bruce tries to stay out of the way.

"Believe what you want, Bella, but things have changed. A lot of things … Look, come with us now and we won't hurt anyone."

I glance over to four of the people I trust the most fighting Jasper, and I know that even if Alice is being genuine, Jasper is out for blood.

"I can't leave, Alice. Edward and all of you left me. It's over. He told me I would forget and move on. It's time he did the same thing." I see Bruce move more to my side and his nostrils flare.

He's been on the wrong side of love and had his heart broken. I know he empathizes with me.

"I don't want him or any of you anymore," I tell her with all the conviction I have left in me. "This was never the life I wanted. You stole my life from me, Alice!"

With my screaming, I don't realize what's happening next to me. Bruce is transforming before our eyes, and Alice looks … relieved.

He roars into the clearing and the battle with Jasper comes to a halt as Bruce snatches up Alice and she tries to bite him, but her teeth won't penetrate his skin.

They look a little like Faye Ray and King Kong as Jasper begins to sprint across the field to rescue her. But her tiny voice calls out to him. "It's the only way."

Jasper skids to a halt and stops dead in his tracks. "Alice!"

"Just go!" she screams as he looks at all of us and runs for the forest.

Steve reaches me first as the group of four runs to us. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Go clean up. You're bloody," I say as I look at his split lip and the black eye that's forming.

As he runs inside, Uncle Tony asks what we'll do with her.

"Hulk, can you hold her long enough for us to figure it out?" When he nods and gives Alice a sinister smile, Uncle Tony, Thor, and I come up with a plan.

We have questions and Alice is going to give us the answers.


	14. Chapter 14 (EPOV)

**Chapter 14**

**BPOV**

With no definitive way to hold Alice while we interrogated her the only option we decided was to continue having Hulk hold onto her. They both hated it immensely, and Alice kept complaining that he smelled and that just made him more agitated. She refused to talk until she was fed, but since we had no human blood in the fridge, I went out to hunt for her.

No one could stand to watch her feed aside from Steve, so he stayed with me while she went at it. As she was finishing up and everyone else came back, I crouched down in front of her.

"Now, you're going to give us some answers, Alice." When she looked up at me with her light blush-colored eyes, I knew there was much more to the story.

* * *

**Edward**

I thought the day I left Bella alone in the woods in Forks was the hardest day of my life.

I was so wrong.

Standing in front of the Volturi and pledging my service and allegiance to them was the hardest thing I've ever done.

"So, young Edward"—Aro's high voice rang like a bell in my ears as it echoed around the chamber where he and his two brothers were holding audiences—"you finally want to come and be a part of the guard? Is that correct?"

I nodded, suddenly unable to form words.

"And what of your family? So many gifted and wonderful creatures in your small coven." Aro glances over both shoulders to Caius and Marcus. "Why, we'd love to have terrific, tiny Alice and the spry Jasper in our accord as well."

"If I can convince them to come, will you take me?"

Aro laughs his maniacal laugh, and I try not to cringe.

"I suppose we could offer the three of you a special place in the guard. I do adore Jane, but having different … gifts could make for interesting audiences."

I nod and promise to bring the two of them back with me. As I'm turning to leave, Caius calls out to me. "What about that pretty little human you had? Yes, Edward, we know about her."

"We're nothing. She's nothing." The words sound weak to my own ears, but I force them out anyway.

Caius sits forward on his throne. "But did you tell her?" He's all but hissing and spitting venom at me.

"Yes, but she won't tell. She's too afraid, too heartbroken. And who would believe her?" I ask with a casual shrug of my shoulders.

"Surely, you've listened to her mind and heard whether she has told anyone?" Marcus asks me lazily from his chair.

"I … I can't hear her. She's silent to me," I admit with defeat.

Aro turns and walks to his brothers, and they whisper among themselves. When Aro turns around, his eyes are even wilder than before.

"We'll give you what you seek, my dear boy. But bring the human girl to us. We believe she also has a gift—one we haven't seen in millennia. We want her as well." Aro nods and continues to do so until I finally agree and turn to leave.

I have to go back to Forks and bring Bella to Italy.

* * *

To say the family was angry that I went off to meet with the Volturi would be a massive understatement. Carlisle was furious, and Esme felt betrayed that I would go to the rulers and enforcers of our laws without speaking to them first. Rosalie and Emmett were mad too, but mostly, they were hurt because they could guess what my plans were.

Then there was Alice and Jasper. He felt how wound up I was when I entered the house in Ithaca, and Alice had been confused for two days as I kept my mind as blank as possible to throw her off my trail.

Rosalie and Emmet left for Europe while Carlisle and Esme berated me for three full days. It would be so easy to just … end them.

"Edward! No!" Alice screams at me just as I lunge for Carlisle—the man who loved me like a son, cared for me as a father would and guided me.

The man who made me a monster.

All the rage that had been pent up inside me for over one hundred years came flowing out as I ripped him limb from limb. When I felt Esme attack me from behind, I gave her the choice to come with me or join her beloved.

She gnashed her teeth at me and I ripped her head off.

Alice and Jasper stared at me, stunned and scared.

"Jasper, go make a fire in the backyard," I order him with a snarl.

He backs out of the room and tries to pull Alice with him, but she shrugs him off.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Alice is screaming, and I can hear dogs from miles away begin to bark. "We can put them back together. Help me! We can fix this."

"I'm done, Alice. You know what gift Aro gave me before I left Italy with my assignment?"

"Your _assignment? _Edward, what are you talking about?" Alice has only looked scared once in the time I've known her. The moment Jasper tried to attack Bella on her birthday.

I walk toward Alice and grin. "He gave me the gift of human blood, Alice. Do you even remember what it tasted like? Of course, you do. We can have as much as we want, whenever we want.

"We just have to get Bella and change her, and then the four of us can join the guard. Think about it, Alice. Jasper won't suffer anymore. You and he can truly be united in every way. Don't you want that, Alice?"

I was so sure how everything would end up that when her eyes glossed over and she was searching for her future—when her eyebrows rose to her hairline—I knew she saw what I was seeing.

That's all I needed.

Added to the fact that Alice was still weak when it came to human blood, I walked past her into the kitchen where I had deposited a cooler in the unused fridge and pulled it out to rip open a bag of Type B blood. When they both ran into the kitchen and took over, I dragged Carlisle and Esme's bodies outside and let them burn.

* * *

Once Alice and Jasper were on the sauce and under my control, taking out Emmett and Rosalie was almost easier than our "parents". We just separated them while they were hunting in a Romanian forest.

The look of horror and disbelief on both of their faces made it so worth it. Rosalie never liked Bella anyway, so she never would have been much help to me and my cause. And Emmett? Well, he was an idiot; I'd always thought so. Aside from his brawn, he wasn't good for much in my opinion, so both of them had to go.

Unfortunately for us, news spread of what we were doing, and we were confronted by the coven from Denali when we returned to the States. Carmen and Eleazar tried to calm us down and convince us to stop our rampage, as they called it.

That blonde bitch, Kate, tried using her power on us, but Jasper blocked her with her own fear and we broke them down too.

* * *

A few days later while we hunt through New Orleans on our way back to Forks, Alice approaches me cautiously.

"Edward, can I have a word with you, please?" She looks even smaller than usual, and her red eyes are wide.

"What is it, Alice? You seem upset."

"I'm upset about a lot of things, Edward." She lets out a sigh and sits down on a bench next to me in Jackson Square Park. "Mostly, the fact that it's been over two years since we left Forks. What if Bella isn't there anymore? Or, worse, what if she's not interested in seeing you again?"

"Can you see her?" I ask, suddenly nervous that my plan is going to hell.

"I get glimpses but not a clear enough picture. Her future is uncertain right now," Alice wails quietly, and for the first time in years, I feel a wave of affection for her.

"Alice, we know what her fate is … she's destined to be my mate. You saw it years ago, and now we're going to fulfill that vision. Aro says she has a gift. Think about it. We'll be the four most powerful vampires the Volturi has because we'll be part of the same coven. We'll be together."

Alice smiles weakly. "Like a family?"

"Yes, just like a family."

Getting into Forks was easy enough. We'd put some cars into storage in Seattle and drove the silver Volvo into town. It was like the three youngest Cullen kids had come back to visit.

We'd even sacrificed our taste buds by eating animals for several days so we could return to the golden eye color we'd once had while living there. No one paid us much mind until I was pulled over for a speeding ticket on Front Street by none other than one Chief Charlie Swan.

"You know why I pulled you over, don't you?" He finally takes a good look at me and his calm cop demeanor fades away. "Edward Cullen, what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"Hi, Chief. My brother, sister, and I are just back home to see some friends and visit our old house. We're all at school at UDub." I tell him this as softly and calmly as I can. I can't smell Bella on him and that concerns me.

Charlie Swan doesn't buy my bull for one second. "You blew it, kid. She doesn't want to see you."

"Hi, Charlie!" Alice sings out from the passenger seat with a great big smile. "Maybe she doesn't want to see Edward, but I'm sure I can come by and say hi, right?"

The chief sighs and scratches at this mustache. "Even if she wanted to see you, Alice, she isn't here. She moved about three months ago."

I asked him where, and as he lectured me and wrote me a ticket, I listened to his mind. It was almost as silent as Bella's to me. All he seemed to be thinking was that he should kick my ass and send me packing. Nothing about where his daughter was.

"I get it, Chief. We'll leave." I take the ticket from him and deliberately speed off and out of town.

* * *

That night, Jasper comes to me with a plan, and while it's messy, it does have a certain panache.

"We'll get into trouble with the Volturi. Aro will see this as too public," I state as Jasper sits across from me at the diner we've stopped in to hunt.

"Maybe … but maybe we don't need the Volturi," Jasper says as he pushes the full cup of coffee out of his way so he can lean on the table between us. "Maybe once we get Bella, the four of us can take out the Volturi ourselves, and we can rule and govern the vampire world."

"Jasper," I see the look in his eyes—the blind devotion. He truly believes we can do this. "Are you using your powers on me?"

"I promise I'm not."

"I like it. When do we start?" I ask with a smirk.

* * *

When we start leaving our trail for Bella to pick up on, it starts out as fun for us. Once we get to Chicago though, we realize we need a more stable plan because we have no idea where Bella is.

Alice finally has an idea to hack all the college and university websites in the country to see if she's a student. While normally, I would agree to this, Alice hasn't been using her gift, and that's really how we're going to find her.

Finally, not with her gift of seeing the future but her powers of observation, Alice figures out where Bella is.

_People Magazine_ is running a feature on the billionaire, Tony Stark. Something about some charity work he was doing to contribute to the relief work in New York after that alien invasion.

And wouldn't you know who was standing next to him in a few of the pictures in the spread?

_Stark's goddaughter, Bella Swan, a student at Columbia University._

"She's in New York. We need to head there," Alice tells me as she closes the magazine and tries to throw it away, but something catches my eye, and I rip it from her hands.

I flip back to the pages of the Stark story and see in glossy color Bella talking and laughing with some clown in red, white, and blue.

"That's Captain America," Jasper says over my shoulder. "Don't you remember him from back in the day?"

"He's not the same guy though, right?" I ask incredulously. "He'd be over 100 years old."

Jasper shakes his head. "He put a plane down during the war and was frozen in the ice. It's a whole thing. I'll pull the info for you."

I nod absently as I look at the photos—his hand on the small of her back, her leaning into him to listen to him speak, and their shared smiles.

_How dare she? She's _my _mate!_

* * *

Our plan was simple enough: we'd leave a trail of clues that Bella could pick up on. She's smart and she'd know it was a vampire immediately.

With the trail of victims growing and my bloodlust churning, we had to get to New York and Bella sooner rather than later.

I sent Alice and Jasper to Staten Island, knowing full well that Bella would find her way there to either look for me or some other vampire. She was reckless. I never anticipated that Alice would change Bella and not bring her back to me. I raged for days until I finally calmed down enough to rework our plan.

We left the note at the Avengers tower to let her know we were coming. I wanted her ready to leave with me.

Then we tracked her down to the woods in upstate New York. That's where I watched from up high as she trained with those humans. For what? Who was she trying to defend herself against?

Certainly not me; not the love of her life.

I walk back to where Alice and Jasper are waiting. "Go down there. Bring her to me. Don't fuck it up this time."

"What about what I saw, Edward?" Alice asks me as she and Jasper stand.

"If it comes to that, then let it happen."

I send the two of them off, hoping for my reward and redemption and ignoring the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.

* * *

**BPOV**

"I stopped feeding on humans after I bit you." Alice's voice was full of regret even if she was trying to regain a _vegetarian_ lifestyle.

"But you did feed on humans. And you killed Emmett and Rosalie. Your brother and sister! You stood by while Edward murdered the people you've called your parents for decades. They were good people, living good lives." I can't look at her as she sits limply in Hulk's hand.

"I didn't have a choice."

"There's always a choice. You just didn't make the right one," I say in a low tone so only she can hear me.

I look at my friends and family and shake my head. They might never understand or forgive me for this.

I leap at Hulk and grab Alice's head, twisting at the neck and ripping it off.

As everyone stares at me in shock, I look to Thor. "I need a fire and I need one now."

In the distance, deep in the forest, a gut wrenching howl rings out.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**SPOV**

I wake just as dawn is breaking, and I'm not surprised that the bed next to me is empty and cold. I don my suit and make my way outside to find Bella exactly where I expect her.

"Are you ever going to tell me about that dark blue suit?" Bella asks without even looking over at me.

"I'm on a strike team for SHIELD," I tell her as I sit down in the chair next to her.

"You're not sure if you like it, right?" She turns and looks at me while she takes my hand. "I can tell by the look on your face."

I smile and kiss her hand. "I'm not sure I trust everyone on the team."

She nods knowingly. "You trust everyone on this team though, right?"

"Of course, I do," I told her. "Are you worried about today?"

"I know what needs to be done. I'm just worried about someone getting hurt."

As we sit there looking out at the clearing and hear Tony and Thor begin to stir inside, I pull her out of her chair and onto my lap.

"We sent Natasha and Bruce back to the tower so they can work with Clint and Maria to track down any newborns Edward, Alice, and Jasper may have left in their wake. They can handle any that might be out there, and we can handle Jasper and Edward," I tell her as she sits restlessly on my knees.

"Jasper won't go down easily," she mentions.

"Neither will Edward," I say and turn her body so she's looking at me. "I won't leave your side."

"You'll get hurt."

"We've discussed the possibilities," I remind her.

"I think we said this already during a fight, but I love you."

Wrapping my arms around her and resting my chin on her shoulder. "I loved you during that fight, and I love you more now."

Tony and Thor choose that moment to walk outside, suited up and ready to go, and the four of us head out to the clearing.

"Thor."

"Yes, my vampire queen?" He gives her a slight bow, and Bella inhales sharply.

"Don't ever call me that again, and lose the cape. Jasper will use it to his advantage." Bella rolls her eyes as Thor's cape disappears, and he smiles.

"Uncle Tony?"

"Yes, my vampire queen?" he says with as much sarcasm as I've ever heard come out of him. Bella laughs a little and hugs him around his bulky suit.

"I love you. Stay in the air and use as much firepower as possible. Jasper is quick, but if you can light him up, you can take him down."

"I love you too, kiddo."

"I want you all to know that I once thought this was the existence I wanted—to be immortal. But then I moved to the Tower where you became my family. Where I met my soulmate." She reaches for my hand. "Where I built a mortal life I was happy in and proud of.

"But things change and I believe this change for me was always going to happen. Fate has a way of playing tricks on us. Seeing Edward today and fighting him will be the most difficult thing I have ever done."

"He needs to be stopped, Bella." I squeeze her hand, and she smiles sadly.

"Imagine it was someone you once loved and trusted. Imagine it was Bucky who somehow turned into a monster. Would it be an easy decision for you?"

At that moment, there was no more jealousy or second-guessing. No more trying to justify Edward's end to her.

In her position, I would be struggling just as much, but I was certain her resolve was stronger than mine.

"I'm with you, we're all with you. One hundred percent." Tony and Thor nod in agreement as Bella's head whips around to look out at the clearing.

"Then you'll all die together too," Edward growls as he and Jasper run toward us.

* * *

**BPOV**

"I want Alice's body," Jasper growls lowly to me. He had an even wilder look to him, and I was afraid for Uncle Tony and Thor.

"You know I burned it," I tell him. "It would have been foolish to just leave it there. I'm sorry, Jasper. I really am. But you all have to be stopped."

"I'll kill you myself, Bella," Jasper says as he digs his feet into the earth. "I always wanted to get my hands on you."

"Jasper, no! Stick to the plan," Edward says, never taking his eyes off me. "You can fight with her later, but she'll win. I have no doubt."

"We're all to blame, debutante, so why don't you come play with me for a bit." Uncle Tony beckons Jasper as a snarl escapes the vampire, and he lunges at him, and Thor jumps into the fray.

I want nothing more than to lead Edward away from the others so he and Jasper can't be allies for each other.

"Bella, just admit that you still want to be with me and this will all be over," Edward tells me with an evil smile. "Of course, all of them will have to die so they can't come after us."

"I don't want to hurt you, son, but I will." As Steve steps in front of me, Edward lunges before I can put up my shield to protect us.

The dent that ends up in Steve's shield as Edward punches it is smaller than I would have imagined, and they slide across the dirt.

Edward's eyes grow large as he realizes that Steve may be somewhat of a match for him.

"Give up, Edward. Leave now and stop or surrender to us." I'm all but pleading.

He glances over to the fight with Jasper and sees him being pummeled into the ground by Thor with Mjolnir and Tony setting up to send in a mini-missile strike.

"He'll be in flames in seconds. How many more people are you willing to lose?" I ask him quietly, taking a step closer to him.

"As long I get you, it's worth it," Edward says as he reaches out and grabs not for me but for Steve and locks his arms around him. "You stink of this mortal, Bella. You. Are. My. Mate. You belong to me."

"I belong to no one but myself, Edward. Especially not to you. You abandoned me in the woods. You may as well have left me for dead!" I scream and it mixes with Jasper's howls as Tony and Thor set him ablaze.

They move to make their way to us, and I throw a hand up to stop them.

This is between me and him.

"Let Steve go, and then it's just you and me." Trying to remain calm, I lock eyes with Steve. He looks like he's turning a little blue, and I just wanted him safe.

"If you can save him, you can have him," Edward says, changing his grip to around Steve's neck and taking off toward the mountain that I use for solace, and I was sure I caught the scent of a vampire from just days ago.

"Bella, go!" Tony is yelling at me.

I run over to them. "Handle his ashes the same way we did with Alice. I'm still faster than Edward right now, and I know where he's going."

I turn to face the mountain and see Edward starting to climb the face. "Call Bruce and get everybody up here. I'm not sure what's going to happen."

With that, I take off across the clearing and start up the face of the mountain behind Edward, catching up in no time. When he realizes that I'm close behind him, he drops Steve from his grip, and as Steve falls, I reach out for him and catch him by the arm.

"Are you hurt?" I ask as he grabs on to my shoulders as I continue climbing.

"I might've just dislocated my shoulder, but I can pop it back in," Steve says, panting.

As we near the top and Edward disappears over the edge, an idea comes to me.

"I could toss you up and over the edge, Steve," I tell him as I pause. "It might reset your shoulder, but you need to be on the offensive because he'll be waiting."

Steve presses a kiss to my neck. "Make it count, Bella. I love you."

"I love you." I grab him by the upper arm and heave him up and over the top, and then scramble up and over the edge myself.

Edward has Steve's shield pinned over his neck and I cry out, "No!"

I rush Edward and we tumble to the ground in a heap of limbs and gnashing teeth.

He grabs me by my neck and hoists me up to where the tips of my toes are just barely brushing the ground. As Edward begins to squeeze and twist, I can feel something beneath my feet.

"Surely killing me isn't what you came here for," I say to him.

Struggling against his hold, I look down to see the shield, face down between us.

I start kicking, biting, and clawing at him, but even though I'm a newborn, the human blood he's been drinking has made him stronger than I anticipated. I'm finally able to kick the shield behind me and swing my legs up and around his shoulders.

Steve grabs the shield and throws it at Edward's head, but he flips us both and it misses.

My true mate comes to my side, and we begin sending punches left, right, and center while Edward deflects them. He shoots out his right leg to kick me right in my gut and it sends me sailing yards away while he turns his attention on Steve. In the time it takes me to reach them, Captain America is lying in a pool of his own blood on the soft ground while Edward sniffs the air hungrily.

"We could share him, Bella." He drags my name out seductively, and with the smell of Steve's blood, my judgment is clouded for just a mere second.

I dive for Edward and punch and kick him into the ground. I can hear a rustling from over my shoulder and hear Steve's weak and raspy voice call out, "Finish him."

As Edward tries to pull himself up, I lock my thighs around his neck like Natasha taught me.

"You thought I'd be too much of a coward for this." I lean down to whisper in his ear and venom wells in my mouth. "I knew I'd thank you for leaving me one day." I sink my teeth into his neck and he growls. "The only coward here is you." I twist his head, and it comes away from his body with a satisfying crunch. I hold it by the hair and call down to Tony and Thor, who arrive up on the mountain within seconds.

"Steve!" Tony rushes to him, and I can hear JARVIS running a scan.

"Thor, I need a circuit," I say as I gesture to Edward's unmoving body. He nods and calls down a single bolt of lightning and it ignites the body, and I throw the head on the fire without a single ounce of regret in my body.

As it begins to burn, he turns to look at me. "You need to hunt."

I'm by Steve's side before I respond. "No, I need to be here."

Steve's breathing is shallow, and his pulse sounds so weak. This is bad. How did he manage to injure him like this in such a short space of time? The panic comes over me, and I think back on what we talked about if anything like this happened.

Uncle Tony approaches me. "I'll fly him down to the cabin. Bruce and the others should be here soon so he can help me …"

"There isn't time." I can already hear Steve's heart beginning to slow even more and the blood beneath him seems to be spreading with every second, and for once, the smell isn't captivating me. "You can't die, Steve. Please don't die."

"Bella?" Tony sounds concerned.

"It's a last resort." I press a quick kiss to Steve's lips, and then I sink my teeth into his neck. There's a shout from behind me but I'm too wrapped up in the feel and taste of Steve's blood. I use my shield to help me concentrate, and I pull away from him and close the bite with a swipe of my tongue.

"What did you just do?"

"I just saved his life."


	16. Epilogue

**AN: I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been on this ride with us: all of our pre-readers, our beta, our banner maker, and all you readers. And a big shoutout to all the groups that allowed us to post teasers and chapter links! But most importantly, I want to thank Alex for taking me on this journey. She and I had a simple conversation the devolved into the basic idea for this story. We stood up for ideas we believed in and really wanted; sometimes we caved to the other person. But ultimately, we wrote something together that we're both proud of and we're still friends! I love you, Alex! Happy Birthday! **

**Enjoy everyone! Thank you for sticking with us!**

**Epilogue**

**SPOV**

It was a pain like nothing I'd ever felt. Even going through the change to become a super-soldier didn't hurt as much. I could feel every cut and wound on my body healing and closing, bones knitting back together, and flesh becoming whole again.

Bella was by my side and I was grateful for the calmness of her presence, and I kept thinking back to the previous night and our conversation.

"_You'll get hurt. You could get hurt really badly, Steve. I don't think you understand." _

"_So change me if that happens." _

_She whips around to face me. "Are you crazy?" _

"_Crazy about you."_

_Bella rolls her eyes at me. "You don't understand. Just because I bite you doesn't mean you'll be like me. You could want to hunt humans, and it could be ten times worse than what I've been like. I'm an exception." _

"_Bella, none of that matters because all I want is to be with you, and I know you'd keep me on the right path. It means we'd both be immortal. We haven't talked about me getting older but I know it's something you think about. I think about it too." _

_She folds her arms and stares me down. "It will be an absolute last resort. Do you understand?" Finally moving to me, Bella wraps her arms around me. _

"_Bella." _

_I know if it were possible, she'd be crying. I might be shedding a few tears of my own._

"_Bella. Look at me." I lean forward and kiss her forehead, and then cup her face. "70 years ago, I thought I'd met the love of my life … and then after I woke up, I met you." _

_Her amber eyes go soft._

"_Steve …" _

"_Sssssh, I'm trying to be romantic." _

_She laughs softly. "Please, continue." _

_When I go down on one knee and produce a small velvet box seemingly out of nowhere, she shakes her head. "You're crazy." _

"_Crazy about you." I send her a wink. "Marry me, Bella. When all of this is over." _

_Bella bites her lip but sends me a grin. "Of course, I'll marry you." _

_I stand up and slide the ring onto her finger. "I love you so much, Bella." _

_She pulls me down by my neck to kiss me. "I love you too." _

When I woke the day following Edward's defeat, we weren't sure what I was to become, but Bella was prepared.

Her steel resolve kept me grounded as we realized that my metabolism and the serum coursing through my veins burned out the venom before it really had time to take hold.

"Bella?" I croak out her name as she leans over me and smiles.

"Welcome back, soldier." She presses a kiss to my cheek.

I sit up in the bed a little and look around to find the only other person here is Thor. "How many days?"

"Just one. How do you feel?"

"Tired and hungry." I look over at Bella and smile a little sadly and a little ruefully. "For a cheeseburger and fries. Maybe a milkshake."

* * *

**BPOV**

After Edward's death, Steve was anxious to meet Charlie, especially before we organized getting married. I was anxious, to say the least, especially now that I was a vampire. I wasn't worried about hurting Charlie—we'd established that I could be around humans without wanting to eat them—but I hadn't even seen my dad since I moved to New York, and now I was going to see him looking like a completely different person.

"Do you think I need to wear contact lenses?" I ask Steve just before we leave.

"Why?"

"Well, the last time I saw my dad, I had brown eyes … and now they're not."

"Of course, he'll notice. He's your father." Steve pulls me to him. "Besides, you said he knows the legends."

Charlie did as Charlie always has—opened his arms and gave me a big hug and welcomed me home. He never falters; he's steady. That's the nice thing about Charlie, and the thing I love the most—he doesn't ask questions. If he noticed anything, the only comment he made was, "You look good, kid."

He then proceeded to grill Steve about fishing and whether half the stories about him were even true, but he wasn't at all bothered by Steve being Captain America, the same way he didn't really care that Uncle Tony was Iron Man. He spoke to Steve more in half an hour than he ever had to Edward in six months, and I took that as a pretty good sign.

Steve and I got married not long after. Charlie flew to New York and both he and Uncle Tony walked me down the aisle. We were lucky to be surrounded by the friends and makeshift family we had. It was a simple ceremony, without the pomp and circumstance that some people thought would be necessary for an Avenger but a quiet affair for Steve and me.

We celebrated with everyone and had a great time doing it, but we were unprepared that it would be one of the last gatherings between the Avengers' team for the foreseeable future.

Things didn't get any better after that. Between the fall of SHIELD and Hydra's re-emergence into the world, to the Sokovia Accords and the inevitable divide that was created between Uncle Tony and Steve.

Steve didn't feel like he was worthy enough to lead the entire team, but when the government wanted to take away the choice in leading entirely, it made the whole point of the Avengers initiative a moot point.

Tony believed that having everyone signing the accords would make it easier; Steve completely disagreed, and well, that just left me stuck in the middle.

Then there was the Bucky thing.

After the events in D.C., Steve was like a dog with a bone when it came to tracking down his best friend and figuring out what happened. I would spend days scanning CCTV footage looking for him, and when I finally found him in Bucharest after the UN bombing, Steve, Sam, and I went immediately.

"_Why aren't you on my side?" Steve says with exasperation. _

_I fold my arms. "Your side? What are you talking about?" _

"_Bella, you know exactly what I'm talking about." _

"_Just because you and Tony completely disagree with this? I'm not even an Avenger! And you cannot for one moment expect me to choose between the two of you because that is exactly what you're asking me to do." _

This was the biggest form of contention in our partnership. I couldn't turn my back on Uncle Tony and those members of the Avengers who had sided with him because they were my friends, but Steve was my mate, and I would always be on his side.

When it came down to the bottom line, Steve was sorry for the thing that had happened and the feelings that were hurt; but it didn't change the fact that he did what he thought was right.

When he left to take Bucky to Wakanda, I went to visit Tony at the Avenger compound.

"What are you doing here, kiddo?" Uncle Tony is sitting in an office of all places and doesn't seem pleased to see me.

I take a seat in a chair opposite his desk. "Can't I come to see my favorite godfather?"

Tony rolls his eyes. "I'm your only godfather, and you're married to a fugitive who broke two people out of a supermax prison."

"He's good, right? You've gotta give him some credit for that."

The silence that looms between us is uncomfortable, but I can literally sit here all day.

"I miss you, Bella." He looks over at me with a pained look. "I miss Steve too. But I can't … I can't forget."

"We miss you too, even if he hasn't admitted that yet. I understand that you can't forget, but can you forgive?"

"I thought you were Switzerland?"

"I am, but I want my husband and my father to be able to go fishing. I want to be able to go places with Steve. Now, we're just hiding. Steve still believes in helping people and doing the right thing. You don't have to forget, but you need to forgive each other."

I pleaded with Tony for a few hours as he sparred with me, but I realized quickly that I wasn't the one who needed to convince him.

When I left that afternoon with a hug from my godfather, I had a plan.

* * *

Steve had returned from Wakanda and our reunion was long overdue. When I tell him about visiting Tony, he scoffs but was genuinely curious to hear how Tony and everyone else was fairing.

"It's time you reached out, Steve."

We're lying in bed, and I prop my head up on my hand to look down at him.

"I want to, but I'm not sure what to say or how to do it." He brushes some hair away from my face and smiles.

"I do. I bought two prepaid cell phones. You send one to Tony and you keep one." Sitting up, the sheet falls away and Steve's eyes wander. "Eyes up here, soldier. Write him a letter and tell him the truth. You've already told me that you'd be there in a heartbeat if he needed you. Tell him. Offer him a sign of good faith."

"You're smart," he tells me as he sits up. "Do you think he'll ever call?"

"Well, let's hope there's never a need for him to."


End file.
